<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Fire in Your Eyes by gallopingcowgirl</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29750223">The Fire in Your Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gallopingcowgirl/pseuds/gallopingcowgirl'>gallopingcowgirl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Avatar &amp; Benders Setting, Alternate Universe - Canon, Bending (Avatar), Character Death, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fire Nation (Avatar), Gladiators, Graphic Description, Lemon, Prison, Protectiveness, Sexual Assault, Sexual Content, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Verbal Abuse, Zutara</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:33:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>103,878</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29750223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gallopingcowgirl/pseuds/gallopingcowgirl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Captured from her home with her tribe and then separated from her family in a tragic turn of events, Katara finds herself growing up in the Fire Nation. But the Fire Nation is no place for a young female bender. She must keep her ability a secret if she doesn't want to end up fighting for the nation's amusement in the Arena, but as time goes on it becomes more difficult as she realizes just how deep her feelings run.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>180</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Life Starts Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As an extra heads-up, individual chapters with sections that fall under the story content warnings, I'll include a more specific warning here at the top (like below) so you know to proceed with caution if certain warnings make you uncomfortable but others don't. </p><p>Chapter Content Warning: character death, offpage nonconsensual sex</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 1 – Life Starts Now</strong>
</p><p>“The sky was filled with black ash that day. Everyone panicked at first, but a sense of calm fell over them as my father walked to the gates to greet the invaders, knowing perfectly well what might happen.”</p><p>---</p><p>Katara clung to Kya as the rest of the villagers stood in a half moon around the front gate. Behind them the town waited, glistening with ice from the most recent storm. Flakes of black snow spotted the ground.</p><p>In the distance, the small fleet of floating metal fortresses approached. The Southern Raiders had visited them before but not within the last six years. Katara had been too young to remember. Even her older brother Sokka could only recall the sounds of the attack. Kya had hidden the two of them away in the back of their igloo with herself as the fire nation soldiers took away two young men: two of their warriors just come of age. Sokka had been devastated to learn he’d never see his friends again.</p><p>Their visit- any foreigner’s ship truly, came as a complete surprise to the village. The ice had hardly begun to melt from the long winter. Most trading ships would not arrive for at least several more weeks when the journey was free from the dangerous calving icebergs.</p><p>The two children stood with the rest of the village to face the invaders. They were not the youngest to stand with their mothers watching the ships dock against the ice wall they used for protection from the wind. What else did they need to defend themselves from in the south pole? Rogue polarbear dogs and the packs of wolves found on the tundra tended to stay away from the village.</p><p>Their tribe had dwindled to just over 40 members, none of whom could bend. Their benders were all taken long ago, back when their grandmother Kanna was just a girl. If it was obvious the whole village was hiding in their igloos, it would only incite the firebenders’ rage, burning the homes down in an attempt to smoke them out. The elders told stories of those occasions. The southern raiders only came to instill fear in them, the destruction of the village was not necessary if they could avoid the hassle.</p><p>The ships landed against the icepack and dropped their gangplanks. Soon, a small army of fire nation soldiers filled their village. Hakoda stood tall between his people and the enemy. The Admiral of the fleet approached him. His red helmet shone bright against the purity of the white snow. Katara stepped behind her mother’s legs, squeezing her hand tighter. Sokka subconsciously stepped back, but he refused to cling to Kya as his sister did. He would stand tall and fearless like his father even though his heartbeat quickened at the sight of the imposing soldiers clad in dark iron.</p><p>“What do we owe this visit?” Hakoda questioned. His words filled the cold air around them, echoing off the snow walls of the igloos. The Admiral waved his lines of troops past him and into the village.</p><p>Hakoda spoke again, his voice strong but held hints of understanding as the nature of this visit. “You know we have no more benders. We aren’t a threat to the Fire Nation. We’ve never been.” The tension was different in the air. The remaining warriors of the town leveled their weapons as the fire benders got into stance.  Children called out in fear, sobbing into their mother’s parkas. The Admiral lifted his head to look down at them all, a sneer growing on his face.</p><p>“The entire Southern Water Tribe will be taken prisoner for the violation of Fire Lord Azulan’s fishing regulations.” The fire benders closed in, shooting fire into the air to scare the civilians into quick submission. Kya dropped into a crouch, scooping Katara and Sokka into her arms and covering them from any errant flames.</p><p>The warriors called out their fierce battle cries and rushed the enemy. The rest of the tribe scattered, trying to escape, but the fight gained them little ground. It was a matter of minutes before the Water Tribe warriors were taken down and the tribesmen rounded back up. The soldiers secured the warriors' hands behind their backs and marched the entire village onboard the deck of the main ship.</p><p>The village was not able to put up as much of a fight as they could have decades ago. Every time the Southern Raiders showed up, more benders were taken; it was always only a small handful of villagers that were stolen away, and they always put up a fight over the accusations. The benders would be taken on false claims of over-hunting turtle-seals, baiting Fire Nation patrol ships, or fighting with soldiers at nearby ports. How the Fire Nation knew what happened in their icy neck of the world was beyond Hakoda, but he did know that this event was a setup.</p><p>The Firelord had sent them decrees in the past. There had been a ‘peaceful takeover’ several decades ago when the Water Tribe was taken into the Fire Nation as a new territory after even more decades of raids and fighting in order to provide cold-water shellfish and oil for their lamps. The Fire Nation history books may have called it a 'bloodless battle', but the tribe lost many of their benders and warriors. Eventually, the Southern Raiders won, taking with them every last waterbender the town had and promising to be back should they fight their new emperors.</p><p> The perks of being part of the <em>superior</em> Fire Nation never materialized. They were still on their own at the edge of the world. The only thing that changed was news of the war and other propaganda that their normal trading ships brought to them once or twice a year. The pamphlets made good fire starters.</p><p>Half the Southern Raiders lined their village up on deck as the rest of the soldiers searched the buildings, rounding up strugglers and setting fire to whatever they could. Hakoda, bleeding from a cut on his left temple after the short fight, moved to stand with Kya and the children. Kanna waited nearby. All three adults had their hands bound; neither child did, though they stood close to their parents, fearful they would be separated.</p><p>When the firebenders returned to the ship, the bow was lifted back into place. The ship moved under their feet, sending several tribesmen to their knees as they lost their balance. Katara turned and looked over the edge of the boat. She was barely tall enough to see over the side, but from what she could see the village lay in shreds, burning in multiple locations where wooden beams were exposed. Igloos lay broken, clothing and hides were ripped from inside them and thrown about.</p><p>“Momma, why did they-?”</p><p>“Shh,” Kya replied, crouching beside the two children as best she could with her hands bound. “Everything will be ok, as long as we stay together. The Fire Nation doesn’t want us to try and escape and go home, but as long as we stay together, you will always be safe.” Katara nodded, tears glistening in her blue eyes. She did not understand the implications of the words, but her mother's soothing tone and the promise of staying together was just as meaningful.</p><p>The Admiral of the Southern Raiders spoke. “Southern Water tribe! You have violated your promise to our great Fire Lord by breaking the 3<sup>rd</sup> law in the fishing regulations contract.” This statement enlisted much shouting by the men of the tribe. Claims that they never signed such a treaty and that they did not violate it even if they had filled the air. The Admiral called for silence. When he did not get it, he punched his closed fist into the sky, filling it with angry fire. The tribe quieted, though their resentment remained.</p><p>“Because of this violation, you are now prisoners of the Fire Nation. You lose all your rights and privileges of honored citizens-”</p><p>A young man stepped forward. “The Fire Nation had never seen us as <em>honored citizens</em>.”</p><p>“You insolent boy,” a nearby soldier growled. He lifted the Water Tribe man off his feet by the collar of his fur jacket. The soldier was met with sharp glare.</p><p>“Lieutenant.” The Admiral stated. “There are better ways to show this boy to respect his superiors. Take him to solitary. Take the rest of them to the holding cells!”</p><p>The fire benders moved like a well-oiled machine, stepping forward as one, grabbing all the tribesmen's left shoulders and shoving them forward. They were escorted down the steps that lead under the deck. Katara and Sokka clung to Kya and Hakoda as they were manhandled down the stairs.</p><p>Voices called out as people fell, tripping on the too-small steps. Small children struggled to follow their parents without being separated. The cells in the brig were small; there were only five of them. It appeared they were meant to hold maybe twenty men at once; they had twice that. This ship was obviously not built to capture and confine an entire village.</p><p>Kanna, Kya, Hakoda, and the two children were pushed into a cell with a young couple. Other families were not so lucky to end up together. A mother with an infant was separated from her husband, and two young girls just older than Katara ended up with their grandfather instead of their parents. There was much crying and shouting when all the cells were locked.</p><p>The door to the hold was shut as the firebenders left. A single shadow stood watch outside the door. As the group quieted down, Hakoda patted a tearful Katara on the head while she clung to her mother and moved to the bars of his cell. Sokka seemed to have given up being brave and held on to Kya as well. The hold fell completely silent, deferring their chief’s authority.</p><p>“My brothers, the Fire Nation has done us a great wrong today. I know it will take us months to sail to the Fire Nation on this ship and in that time, we will be far from our home. I ask you not to fear but to be strong. If we stand together as proud Water Tribesmen, not even the Fire Nation will break us." He did not need to shout to have his words heard. Everyone in the room watched him with complete trust.</p><p>“What’s your plan Hakoda?” asked a warrior from the cell across the room. He sat with an elderly man, helping him get comfortable against the metal side of the ship.</p><p>“The plan is-” The door swung open and the ship's Admiral walked in. The soldier that stood guard at the door closed it behind him so he could speak without being interrupted by his other soldiers.</p><p>“There is no plan,” he interrupted. “This ship is headed for the Fire Nation capital. There, you will all be sent to the arena where you will fight to the death for the amusement of the <em>loyal</em> citizens of the fire nation. There is no escape. Your village has been destroyed. As prisoners of this mighty nation, no one will assist you in any escape attempts you might make. I suggest you put all these ideas of escape aside. Because if anyone tries, the punishment will be severe.” Hakoda and the Admiral glared at each other for a moment before he turned and left the hold. The door slammed, locking behind him.</p><p>Hakoda glared at the door as he spoke. “No matter what anyone tells us, we must stay strong. As long as we keep our will to live and fight on, we have not lost this war.” The villagers looked to each other, understanding on their faces. They seemed to realize that they would never see their homeland again, but their chief's words still kept them from losing all hope.</p><p>Katara curled up in Kya’s lap, her tears pushed away by her mother’s fingers as she patted her back with soothing strokes. Hakoda sat down next to this wife, watching over his tribe as they turned to each other for comfort. The ship sailed onward.</p><p>The tribe was mostly forgotten about for what felt like the next week. They had long since slipped free of their bindings, since no one was around to stop them. They were fed and given meager amounts of water, but that was extent of the interaction they had with anyone aside from themselves.</p><p>It wasn’t until that fateful day that the sun went down and the soldier who came to collect their empty bowls from their daily rations appeared that they knew something was different. Three firebenders, none of them in uniform, followed the usual soldier inside the holding room. The firebenders walked up and down the individual cells, examining each of the occupants.</p><p>Kya held Katara tighter on her lap. The child practically lived there now, and she reached to Hakoda. She intertwined their fingers and gave them a squeeze. Hakoda shifted to sit closer to his wife against the outside wall of the ship. Sokka slept soundly beside them. The child typically fell asleep after he ate the skimpy rations he was afforded.</p><p>The firebenders came to their cell, and one of them nodded to himself. “That one.”</p><p>The other young woman in the cell went still, her blue eyes widening in fear. The door was unlocked and two benders entered the cell. She shrunk back into her husband’s arms but was forced to her feet. Hakoda tensed beside Kya. The soldier called up a flame to his hand when the young woman's husband rose to defend her.</p><p>His pained shout woke both Katara and Sokka from their dreams, as well as anyone else in the hold who was not already paying attention to the scene. Hakoda jumped to his feet seconds too late to help. The woman was pulled from the cell and the door was bolted shut, the lock clicking soundly. Her husband grabbed the bars, calling her name as she was taken from his reach.</p><p> A similar scene unfolded in another cell, only the woman was pulled from her mother’s arms instead of a husband’s. The tribe gathered at the bars, calling out, pleading with the firebenders not to take them. Both woman were pushed up the stairs, the door slammed shut, leaving only the heartbroken sounds of the tribe’s tears and attempts at comfort.</p><p>“Momma,” Katara asked, rubbing her eyes. The child was still fighting off hints of remaining sleep. “What happened? Where did the fire benders take them?”</p><p>“Shh. They’ll be back soon. No one will take you away from me. Just go back to sleep now.” Kya felt her own heart pound and tried to take deep breaths and stay calm. Katara looked up, her eyes fearful for reasons she did not know. She twisted her gloveless fingers into the fur trim on her mother’s coat and snuggled deeper.</p><p>The two women were returned in the morning, bruised, tearful and slightly burned. It was no secret to the tribe why they had been taken.</p><p>Every second or third night, different fire benders would return and take two more women. They worked through all the women without children in their arms who weren’t elderly, but by the second week, they ran out of new options.</p><p>Eventually, they took Kya. Hakoda put up a good fight to keep her safe, even giving the younger man a clean hit to the chin. Katara called for her mother from Kanna’s arms, wiggling to get to her side as small children do. But as all the others, she was taken upstairs as well. Katara cried that night, curled up with Sokka. The two of them lay sandwiched between Hakoda and Kanna. As much as Katara loved her father and grandmother, she craved her mother's touch. There was little her other guardians could do.</p><p>When Kya returned, the reunion was tearful. Kya sank to her knees when Katara ran to her across the cell. Any separation for the young child was terrifying. Her heart beat like a small bird’s, fast and fluttering. Sokka approached next, slowly, silently asking for his mother’s touch. Kya extended her hand, bringing him in. He sniffled, wiping his eyes quickly. His eyes were red and puffy from the tears he refused to let anyone see.</p><p>Kya did her best to comfort him. “It’s ok to cry Sokka.” She smiled, but it did not reach her eyes; her voice was sad. She refused to look at Hakoda or Kanna, even when they approached. Hakoda placed his hand on her shoulder. It took everything in her not to flinch.</p><p>“Kya,” he whispered, his voice cracking. His wife still did not look up at him. Instead she buried her head between her children’s shoulders and tried to comfort them as best as she could. It broke his heart to see her put in this situation.</p><p>The journey to the Fire Nation was long and filled with heartbreak. They lost of member of the tribe, an old man, to illness within three weeks. The stuffy conditions of the cells and holding rooms did not help anyone. Soon, several tribesmen were sick. The Admiral feared the loss of his entire cargo and ordered the whole group brought up onto the deck and the hold aired out.</p><p>The tribesmen’s hands were rebound as they were led upstairs on the main deck. The soldiers who were luckily enough not to have to clean out the hold were tasked with watching them.</p><p>The ship was only a third of the way back to the capital, but already the sun was warmer. For a moment, many of the Water Tribesmen was able to forget the dire situation they were in and bask in the sun. Escape was futile in the middle of the ocean, so the afternoon was spent reuniting family members who had been sent to separate cells.</p><p>Once night fell, the hold was deemed good enough for the prisoners to the returned to it. They were marched back down. The room smelled of salt; it was obvious the crew used saltwater right from the ocean to wash the room down. They were pleased to discover the porthole style windows were opened; the tribe had originally thought them to be welded shut. Now, a pleasant crosswind brought the smell of the sea straight into the room. It was a slight memory of home, though the nip in the air had long since vanished.</p><p>Their happiness ended the next night when the soldiers returned to continue their taking of women. This time there were four men, and they took four women with them instead of the usual two. The shouts followed the woman up the stairs until the door was shut behind them.</p><p>The cycle continued for the next two months. Every other night women would be pulled from their cells to spend the night in the soldiers' beds. Every third week, the admiral would order the hold to be cleaned.</p><p>The tribe lost seven of their members in the three months they were held prisoner at sea: mostly elderly, but also a single young child. His mother took his loss hard. The rest of the tribe was helpless to help her.</p><p>The ship stopped for supplies twice at two colonized Earth Kingdom towns. At one stop, they took on more prisoners. The soldiers were forced to move around the number in each cell to make room for the newcomers. Nearly a dozen Earth Kingdom men were brought on board. It was obvious that some were earthbenders, though it did little good in a metal prison cell. Their rations grew thinner.</p><p>Then, two weeks out from the capital Hakoda noticed a change in Kya. Between the first time she had been pulled from his arms to warm another man’s bed and now, he had told her multiple times that he still loved her and that nothing that happened would change his feelings. He thought she finally believed him and would come readily into his arms when the children fell asleep, but he woke to her crying, hugging herself as she wept silently. Both Katara and Sokka slept.</p><p>He extended his arm, hoping to comfort her. “Kya. Its ok. Come here.”</p><p>“No,” she sniffled. “This is different, I’m- I’m-” Hakoda assumed she was still referring to the last night she had spent in the soldiers' quarters.</p><p>“Nothing has changed Kya,” he repeated, meeting her tear stained eyes as he cupped her face in one of his hands. “I love you. Nothing will change that.”</p><p>She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. Her voice was a mere whisper. “Hakoda. Everything has changed now. I’ve disho-”</p><p>“No,” Hakoda interrupted her. “You've dishonored no one: not your tribe, not your family, not me. No matter what they did to you Kya, I will love you forever. It’s these men who have no honor Kya, not you.”</p><p>Kya shook her head. “You don’t understand. I’m- I’m pregnant. It must have been one of the first times, they’re careless and I couldn’t-” She fell into tears as she watched Hakoda’s face fill with shock only to be replaced by anger. He pulled her into his arms and squeezed her tight.</p><p>“I can’t dishonor you like this,” Kya mumbled into his shirt.</p><p>“We’ll find a solution Kya. I'll make sure of it.”</p><p> Kya shook her head, pressed against her husband’s chest as he stoked her brown hair. There was nothing more he could do them continue to comfort her into the night.</p><p>In the two weeks it took for them to reach the Fire Nation capital, Kya all but faded to nothing emotionally. It pained Hakoda that he could do nothing for her. At least she had not pulled away from Katara and Sokka. She still sang them to sleep when they were scared and held them close, but when they slept, she was lifeless.</p><p>It would have been understandable back in the Southern Water tribe for her to feel dishonorable and embarrassed. It was a crime in their nation to partake in such activities without being married or even engaged, and it was as much the woman's fault as the man's. The punishment mostly involved public humiliation since family was the most important value to the tribe. It had been a long time since anyone had been accused of it.</p><p>In their current situation as prisoners, along with the fact that every woman of age had the same stigma over her head now, no one said anything. It was not necessary. Hakoda simply hoped this was not what awaited them once they reached the capital. He feared he might lose Kya if that was the case.</p><p>When the call went up on deck that they were pulling into port that morning, Kya sat Katara down in front of her. She undid the necklace around her neck and fastened it around the child’s neck. Hakoda watched in silence; he wasn't sure what to make of this. It wasn't his to tell her to keep it, but he had hardly ever seen his wife without her trademark necklace. It had been passed down to her from her mother. It was an heirloom to be certain, but he worried over why she choose to gift it now.</p><p>The child touched the necklace and Hakoda's heart grew heavy in realization that his chances of seeing his daughter happily married were slim to none.</p><p>Kya smiled at her daughter. “Katara, I want you to always keep this safe. Your grandmother gave this to me when your father and I were married, and now I want you to wear it. It’s important that you keep this close to you. As long as you do this, not matter how far we are from each other, we will always be together. Do you understand this Katara?”</p><p>The child stared at her mother for a moment and nodded slowly, returning the hug Kya enveloped her in. She made sure to give Sokka his own hug, and even without an accompanying gift, the boy appreciated it. His world had turn upside down, this was not the place to play at being a hardened warrior.</p><p>Shortly after, the ship slowed to a halt and was secured at the harbor. The deck grew noisy and the tribesmen got to their feet in anticipation. Kanna grabbed Katara’s hand even as she reached to hold her mother’s. Hakoda kept Sokka within reach while watching Kya. Something was up. Did she think that they would be separated? He felt his own nervousness build as he put a hand around her waist and held her close.</p><p>Lead up onto the deck, the soldiers checked their bindings and lined them up along the ship’s side to examine them all.</p><p>The heat of the sun in the air was unbearable, even in the morning. The soldiers appeared not to have a second set of warm weather armor. Hakoda wondered if they returned to the Fire Nation often.</p><p>Beads of sweat ran down some of his warrior’s foreheads as they stood for the inspection. While the situation may have looked hopeless, Hakoda stood with his back straight and head up. He said nothing, but he would not give the soldiers the satisfaction of seeing him broken. The Admiral walked down the row.</p><p>“Welcome to Capital City, the Fire Nation’s capital. This will be your new home from now on. There is no point in trying to escape, there are guards throughout the city who know exactly how to catch any one of you who tries to get away. If anyone of you even thinks about bending, you will find yourself wishing for a quick death. Because you won't get it,” the Admiral explained, looking towards the earth benders. The row of prisoners turned to their left to move down the front of the ship as directed, and Hakoda watched the unthinkable happen.</p><p>Kya gave him a tearful smile and leaned backwards over the side of the ship. Her fingers seemed to slipp from Katara’s hand in slow motion. Hakoda moved to catch her but was too slow. He shouted her name as the ocean swallowed her whole.</p><p>The other prisoners all looked over the side in mad flurry of activity. The Admiral ordered the soldiers to maintain the order they had just lost. Kanna was forced to scoop Katara up into her arms, bound as they were, to keep the child from following her mother to her death in the ocean. She fought to get free.</p><p>The soldiers quickly moved the line of prisoners away from the edge, but not before the bubbles from Kya’s splash subsided and Hakoda knew he would never see her again.</p><p>He was forced to watch Katara cry over Kanna’s shoulder, her face turning red as she screamed. The child’s small hands reaching towards the last place she had seen her mother.</p><p>He was forced to listen to her calls all while trying to keep a hold of Sokka, who was just as confused- maybe even more so since his view of the event had been blocked. They stepped onto land, for the first time in three months, and Hakoda saw the Admiral send troops to search the shore.</p><p>“If the woman is a bender, she’ll find a way to shore and escape,” the man explained to the lowly soldiers. They gave their salutes and began their search.</p><p>Hakoda hung his head. His wife was no bender; there was no way she was coming back. She was gone. Kya had escaped in her own way, escaped the uncertainty of the fate that lay ahead of them. The look Katara gave him, with her big blue eyes red with tears and confusion made him wish Kya could have held on a little longer.</p><p>He would not blame her, never. She had not chosen what happened to her, but she had chosen how she handled it. He swallowed back his own tears; it was easy enough to hide behind the shock coursing through him.</p><p>The prisoners were loaded onto the komodo-rhino drawn carts and Hakoda pulled both children close. Kanna watched in silence, simply staring at the ocean. Her eyes swam with silent tears.</p><p>“Where’s mom?” Sokka asked, worry in his voice. Katara climbed into his lap, pulling at his clothing.</p><p>“Why aren’t they rescuing her Dad? She can swim, she’ll come back right?” Hakoda did not need to explain that Kya had taken her own life. They knew death- but not chosen death. Not yet. They were too young. They would not understand why she would rather leave them alone then face the life she knew was coming.</p><p>“The ship was too high. She fell too far.”</p><p>“But-” Hakoda pulled Katara close. He met Sokka’s gaze as tears filled his eyes and slid down his face. As the wagons brought them to their new fates, the family slowly came to terms with the fact that Kya was not coming back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>All Chapter titles come from songs. Each one will be given in the chapter notes like this:<br/>Chapter Title is from 'Life Starts Now' by Three Days Grace.</p><p>Upload Schedule will be Monday &amp; Friday</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I Want to See You Be Brave</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 2 - I Want To See You Be Brave</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>"And then he was gone, like my mother before him. And I wasn't sure I'd ever see my father again."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The arena was in the located in the center of Royal Caldara city. Aside from the grand palace, the building was the largest thing in sight. As they crested the mountains and looked into the valley, the two children thought the royal city was inside a giant gapping mouth, ready to eat them all. They were unaware that the jagged cliffs and rocks that surrounded the rest of the royal city in a natural barrier were actually the sides of a long-forgotten volcano. It was fitting for the center of Fire Nation culture.</p><p>The arena was a massive building. It sparkled with gold that embellished the intricate columns around the edge of the building. From the outside, it was impossible to see inside.</p><p>The carts moved inside the building through large steel double doors. Once inside, the tribe was overwhelmed. Three stories of mostly empty seating towered over them. The building was nowhere near full; very few people stood on the upper levels, most of the crowds and the noise came from the ground level that they stood on. A crowd of fire nation citizens gathered around a makeshift platform. The moment they spotted the carts, the crowd rushed to them. Voices shouted over each other, pointing and bickering. The soldiers settled them enough to get the prisoners off the carts.</p><p>"Keep hold of Katara," Hakoda shouted over the noise. Kanna scooped the girl into her arms once more. The old woman hoped she wouldn't need to hold her for long; her strength hadn't abandoned her yet, but the heat was getting to her. The moment their cart was unloaded, the soldiers immediately separated them. The men were sent to the left and the women to the right. Hakoda struggled to stay with Kanna and his daughter, but the soldiers kept a good grip on him and the others.</p><p>Even as he fought to get back to the women, Hakoda knew it was a losing battle. He could feel Sokka's confusion as the child struggled to stay with him against the force of the others around them. Hakoda called out to Kanna, begging her to keep Katara safe once he felt Sokka's grip slip. He turned away from his daughter, safe for now in her grandmother's arms, and grabbed up his son before the boy could be parted from him as well.</p><p>Sokka seemed to realize his father knew as much as he did as to what was going on and refrained from asking questions. The boy was the shortest of the men and unable to see anything other than the other tribesman around him.</p><p>Hakoda felt the child's grip tighten on his wrist. He took a deep breath and sent a prayer to the moon and ocean spirits to watch over his daughter while he was unable. He was unphased even though he knew his tribesmen saw him close his eyes and tip his head to the sky. Under any normal circumstance, sending pleas to the spirits would have resulted in jokes calling his manhood into question. Only women asked the spirits for help openly, but this was an extenuating circumstance. He would be surprised if he was alone in seeking their assistance.</p><p>The Fire Nation soldiers herded them into a space cut out from the building under a balcony of what they assumed was seating above. The great building was entirely metal as they looked up the walls on the inside. It rose many stories above them. The stadium was massive and surely held the entirety of the capital city and then some if necessary. The reddish stone facade on the outside of the structure appeared to be just for show. This underground room was very similar to the holding cell in the ship and crisscrossed with supporting metal beams to keep the weight of the stadium above from crashing down on top of them.</p><p>The slight opening on the main level underneath the seating where they gathered for just a moment lead them through the doorway and down a single set of twenty stairs underground. The door at the stair's base was unlocked by the first guard, and they were pushed along the rows of cells. The Water Tribesmen noticed that the hallway separated the two sets of the cells. Each was the same, though one was on the inside of the Arena, and the other backed up to the wall that made up the outside of the building. Hakoda wondered if there were prison cells that ran that entire length, and if they were all truly filled.</p><p>Prisoners both old and young watched as the firebenders pushed the new men along the cell line and finally into almost-empty enclosures. The cells closer to the door had been full, while these farther away were not. Hakoda and Sokka found themselves placed with two other tribesmen in addition to a non-bending Earth Nation man and the three previous occupants of the cell.</p><p>The chieftain watched the rest of this village while they were separated into similar cells on the same side of the prison and locked in. He put his hands to the bars separating him from the pathway. They were vertical bars made from sturdy metal with intersecting horizontal ones every third foot. The spaces were too small to fit through, even for Sokka.</p><p>The earthbenders from the boat he noticed, were placed in completely reinforced metal cells on the other side of the walkway: the arena side. They had the same iron bars separating them from the rest of the room, but the floor, ceiling, and far wall were solid sheets of metal.</p><p>Hakoda felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "No one in your group was a bender?"</p><p>"How did you know?" Hakoda, shaking his head in response to the question. The asker, one of the Earth Kingdom men already in the cell shook his head.</p><p>"The guards divide the prisoners into benders and nonbenders to make it easier for them when they pull you to fight. Your entire group went into these cells. It would seem your whole village was brought in."</p><p>"It was," one of the Hakoda's men stated. "Our whole tribe is here." The men in the cells lowered their heads to acknowledge the statement.</p><p>"Where were you from?" The man looked to be Earth Nation, though the grey tunic he wore was no help in distinguishing nationalities.</p><p>"The Southern Water Tribe," Hakoda stated. "The Southern Raiders burned everything they could to the ground."</p><p>A man in the next cell sighed. "So the last stronghold in the south is gone." With Hakoda's confused look he elaborated. "The rest of the islands have been raided as well. I was from Whale Tail Island. I think Kioshi may be the last free island south of the Fire Nation, but they aren't known for their benders of any discipline. They might escape this."</p><p>"Why was your village taken?" asked one of Hakoda's men. The man looked down at his tattered grey outfit and smiled to himself. The pants came to his ankles, showing off his bare feet. The patch at his knee was threadbare.</p><p>"We ambushed a trading ship. Our island needed imports to survive, and the ship was supposed to come to us earlier. We were a trading island. We can't support a town without fresh imports from any nation. That was the 3rd time they skipped us and we were running out of supplies. So we took a risk and went for it. We only had two benders on the whole island, but even so, it made it easier. Of course, word got back to the Fire Nation and they invaded. Everyone was taken prisoner when we lost the fight a year ago. We weren't warriors; we were fishermen, traders, and whalers. There are only three of us left now." The southern water tribe warriors fell into silence, listening as the other cells continued with their own conversations. The humidity of the dirt and foundation stones seemed to dampen the noise level overall.</p><p>"What are we here for?" Hakoda finally asked. Sokka watched his father ask the question and then looked around the cell to see who would answer.</p><p>"Do you know what the Fire Nation does with its prisoners?" asked the single man with a long ragged tunic. Hakoda, his two tribesmen, and the Earth Kingdom man gave looks of non-commitment.</p><p>"My village was under the impression that prisoners were used for sport," the Earth Kingdom man said.</p><p>"And we always heard the penalty for going against them was death," one of the tribesmen added. Hakoda noticed that Sokka seemed to be paying attention now. The boy had been examining the cellblock while they talked about where everyone came from, but this directly applied to him. He worried about the young boy. He worried about all the children.</p><p>The tribe had seven children under thirteen when they left the South Pole. One had died already. Hakoda saw two of the other boys in a nearby cell with their own relatives; they were just older than Sokka. He was especially thoughtful of the girls. One was a toddler and the other was thirteen, but she looked older and was fairly pretty. He had no idea what their captors would do with them. Would they be separated from their mothers and guardians? The adults could handle themselves, but the children were still dependent. That girl was still a child. Katara was still a child. His throat tightened.</p><p>The man nodded in respond their answers. "You're both right. Every seven days this building, called The Arena, hosts a tournament. The stands are filled with Fire Nation citizens who come to watch us fight to the death. It's not a pretty sight. And of course, us nonbenders have the highest mortality rate." Hakoda closed his eyes, feeling Sokka shiver beside him. The chieftain nodded, accepting the fate that had been given to them. His tribe was made up of warriors; they would fight for their right to stay alive.</p><p>"Though, some of us escape this fighting when nobles come down to search for laborers," another man said. "They'll buy up your contract from the Arena and take you back to work for them. It's hard work, but at least you won't die in this spectator sport."</p><p>The first man spoke again, adding a glimmer of hope. "But if you win ten straight matches here then you'll win your freedom." That seemed to lighten the new men's faces some.</p><p>"I haven't heard of anyone doing it recently."</p><p>"Then someone is due to win soon," Hakoda stated. The conversation faded as the new occupants turned to themselves and their own thoughts.</p><p>Sokka kept close to Hakoda even when his father leaned against the back wall of their cell to rest. The child took the sudden change hard. He had been parted from his sister, lost his mother, and then told he would probably die in their captors' version of entertainment. The chieftain put his arm around the boy's shoulders and held him close. He would do what he could to keep his son safe.</p><p>...</p><p>The next day, three nonbending cells including their own, were brought up inro the Arena to practice. A small group of firebenders stood guard at each closed entryway. A pile of wooden and rusted steel weapons lay in a cart off to one side.</p><p>The newest men stood confused as to what they were supposed to be doing. The stands were empty, so they obviously were not out here to fight to the death. Only after everyone seemed to get their fill of the morning sunshine did anyone move towards the weapons. The men who had been here before the newest shipment of fighters had arrived walked over first. Hakoda straightened up after his stretch and watched two men grab wooden swords and run through basic stances with each other. He knew nothing about swords, so Hakoda could not offhand judge how good they were.</p><p>"What are we doing out here Dad?" asked Sokka. The boy sat at his feet with his legs stretched out in front of him, copying his father. He had left his parka with the others down in their cell, and the weather was warm even then. The newest prisoners were still dressed in their original clothing. They had not been given the nondescript grey tunics and pants that the others wore yet.</p><p>"I'm not sure Sokka," Hakoda answered slowly. By now, everyone had transitioned to doing something fighting related. Hakoda spent another minute watching them and turned back to his son.</p><p>"We're going to begin your training." He pulled Sokka up and explained they were going to run laps. Sokka's excitement faded quickly, but he followed after his father without a word. The two of them jogged the edge of the arena.</p><p>Hakoda realized that the Fire Nation must have decided that the fights would be better if the fighters had practice and were in shape rather than simply rotting away underground. The other men had all gone to the weapons pile and picked them up to practice. Not sure how the fights took place, he would focus on what he knew would always be useful: endurance. He was positive he could utilize any weapon if pressed, but endurance could make or break a fight.</p><p>It was a simple concept that any hunter knew. An inexperienced fighter could still beat a more seasoned one if he could outlast him. After sitting on a boat for several months, they had a lot of catch-up to play.</p><p>The guards watched over them for three hours until they were called back into their cells. Back in the cool darkness, Sokka curled up and fell directly asleep. Hakoda took his time to stretch out his tired muscles after their workout. The two of them had jogged and did sprints as well as strength building exercises to wake up their forgotten muscles. Hakoda knew Sokka had not started his warrior training, and it would have been another two years until he would have back home, but he knew now would be as good a time as any to begin. Only towards the end of their free time did he lead Sokka over to the weapons pile. Together they went over each one. He wasn't sure what each one was called, but they discussed what they were good for, how to hold them, and weaknesses associated with each type. The day had been exhausting.</p><p>That evening, just before the majority of prisoners fell asleep, Hakoda sat up speaking with one of the men in his cell about the killing games they were about to partake in the next day.</p><p>The thin opening in the cell walls near the ceiling on the cells that lined the arena proved it was nearly dark outside. There was no light in the cells other than the sunlight from those openings, but the older prisoners promised their eyes would gain better night vision the longer they were trapped down there. The openings were only four or five inches in height and barred just in case. Sand and grit from the arena occasionally slipped into the cells, leaving the floor underneath with a steady growing pile.</p><p>A door opened and a light appeared down the hall. He wondered who was checking on them at this hour. Guards weren't posted inside the cellblock; the doors were reinforced iron. They rightly assumed that they were all trapped like rats down in the prison.</p><p>The light moved across the dark interior. The guard closed the door and then paused, jingling keys. The sound of a cell door opening filled the cellblock. Hakoda noticed his cell mates tense and was about to ask until he heard the muffled voices of a guard and a woman.</p><p>"There are woman prisoners?" Hakoda asked, trying not to visibly cringe as he spoke over the sound of the struggle down the hall. He didn't remember seeing any on the walk in.</p><p>He cellmate hung his head. "Only when they can bend. They don't last long down here. They lose their will to live much quicker than the men." Hakoda heard the woman call out, the voices of the prisoners nearby shouting at the guard, and the slap of a hand on bare skin. He was immediately grateful that none of his village's women were bender.</p><p>He used to wonder why no one from their village could bend. He even prayed to the spirits- when no one was looking of course, to send him a gifted bender to assist them in hunts and basic tasks. Life had been difficult without benders in a land of ice and snow, but they had survived when the last of them were taken away.</p><p>Now, he could see why the ocean and moon spirits ignored his pleas. They saw what was to come and were protecting their children from further disgrace. Hakoda bowed his head. For whatever his daughter would live through as she grew up in the Fire Nation, at least she would not be subject to both the cruelty of Fire Nation soldiers <em>and</em> fighting for her life against other prisoners. Hakoda had never been more grateful that Katara was a nonbender like the rest of them.</p><p>The screams echoed for the next several minutes until they died off suddenly. Looking down at his son, Hakoda noticed the boy slept through the event. He gave the child a sad smile and smoothed the loose pieces of hair back into place. He turned back to the other men, all of whom were awake now.</p><p>"Does that happen often?" The light had faded from the cells and hallway, signaling the guard's departure.</p><p>The Earth Kingdom man nodded. "Several times a week, and after any matches any of the woman in question wins. The guards call it a <em>prize</em>." The man spat the words. Hakoda frowned, his disgusted look hidden in the darkness.</p><p>"Don't the others in her cell-?"</p><p>"There isn't anyone else," came the answer. "All the women are put in their own cells just for that reason." Hakoda's opinion of the Fire Nation fell with each passing minute. He doubted tomorrow would be any better.</p><p>...</p><p>The Southern Water Tribe chieftain stood in the center of the arena with another man, one from the earth kingdom. They each held their weapon of choice. There were no boomerangs in the pile, so Hakoda had chosen an armored pike and the other man picked up a sword. They faced off against a firebender who seemed to be on a power trip. The enemy was just younger than Hakoda and went after the Earth Kingdom man first. It was obvious that his partner had no skills with the weapon he held.</p><p>Hakoda circled, hanging back, the loosely shot fire blasts and wild sword swings made getting any closer dangerous. He watched the firebender's movements when he attacked. It had only been a short fight, but both of the fighters were slowing already.</p><p>Hakoda charged into the battle, avoiding a well-aimed blast at the last second. His opponent knocked the Earth Kingdom man to his back on the ground and went in for the kill. Rushing in, Hakoda upset the firebender's balance with a thrust of his pike to the man's side. Since the firebender wore a thin armor, the pike's hit was not fatal, but the man still flinched. Hakoda pushed the pike deeper, struggling to get the dull blade through the thin metal protecting the man.</p><p>The bender grunted and twisted with all his strength, showering them with red sparks and hungry flames. Hokoda felt the skin on his arms blister; the metal in his hands became too hot to hold. He could smell burning hair in the air.</p><p>Hakoda stumbled backward, hiding his pain. He didn't hear the cheering crowd in the stands, the call for the firebender to kill them both. All he heard was the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. The firebender ripped the pike from his side, threw it to the ground, and attacked Hakoda as he knelt on the ground catching his breath.</p><p>The fireblast hit him square in the chest before he could attempt to avoid it. The fire singed the grey tunic that he had been given to wear with a set of matching grey pants. The dark blue belt was the only distinguishing feature from the other prisoner in the arena. His belt was green. Hakoda assumed they were given the colors of their nations to tell them apart.</p><p>The firebender looked down on him as he lay on his back. His vision swam. He was sure he had hit his head too hard, but the memory was already foggy. The birth of flames formed at the man's clenched fist, aimed directly from him. He watched in slow motion, expecting his own death. His vision cleared for second and the fire bender spun to face a surprise attack from the side. Both men flew out of his vision and Hakoda blinked, trying to refocus. He heard the swing of the sword colliding with a dull thunk on the armor the firebender wore. Another, this time followed by a scream amid and the roar of flames. The crowd drowned out the rest of the sound and Hakoda struggled to sit up.</p><p>As he did, he noticed the other man lay badly burned in a heap. He hoped the man was dead and no longer suffering. The firebender was gone. Hakoda missed him storming out of the arena calling for the arena's doctor to look at his injured leg where the sword had left naught but a papercut his skin.</p><p>Two guards appeared and escorted Hakoda from the arena, mostly through pushing and prodding after they gave him a cursory once over. Back in his cell, Hakoda put a hand to his head and felt all the pain rush back.</p><p>"Dad!" Sokka rushed to give his father a hug, and only once he saw his farther was in pain did he release him and hoover nearby, uncertain.</p><p>"What happened Hakoda?" asked one of his tribesmen, moving closer to see if he could help.</p><p>"Who did they put you up against?" asked another man. Hakoda closed his eyes for a moment and winced. His chest felt like it was on fire.</p><p>"It was an Earth Kingdom man and me against a firebender. He killed the other man."</p><p>"He won the match then. Most wouldn't leave any enemies alive. You got lucky, even if you didn't win." Hakoda could only nod. Even that brought pain.</p><p>"I'm scared Dad." Back in the Southern Water tribe, Hakoda would have given his son strong words, but now he had none. There was no room in his pounding head for anything but pain.</p><p>Another man tried to comfort him. "Don't worry kid. You won't face any firebenders until you turn twelve- or you look it at least. Little kids only wrestle with each other or fight together against troops of hog monkeys before the actual fights in the morning; no one dies in those contests."</p><p>His eyes still closed, Hakoda missed the relieved look on Sokka's face. He felt the child physically relax beside him and let out a breath. His son was safe for several more years. That would be enough time to get some real training into him before he would actually need it. Hakoda did not think about what would happen if his last match came before then; he would not let it. His son needed him to live through each fight. If that meant winning each one or just being too injured to pose any real threat to the enemy then so be it. He had to survive for his son.</p><p>"Hakoda." The chief felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes in response. He didn't remember sitting down against the back wall. "That man says he can help you if you come closer to the bars."</p><p>"What?" Hakoda moved to sit up. His vision swam and spun, so he shut his eyes once more.</p><p>"He says he's a healer."</p><p>Sokka helped the other man walk his father to the bars where an old man stood in his own cell across the pathway. Hakoda opened his eyes and gripped the iron bars to keep his balance. His knuckles quickly turned white with the effort.</p><p>"Where are you injured?" asked the old man. Hakoda guessed he was around his late fifties, quite an achievement here. His silver hair was kept long and in what seemed like five thick dreadlocks. Before Hakoda could speak, the man fell into a bending stance and pulled a string of water from his clothing. No one seemed to have noticed before that the bender was in soaking wet clothing. The man fell into a lose stance and water from his clothing was sent to Hakoda's temples and the back of his head. The newest prisoners were completely awestruck at the demonstration. No one in the Southern Water Tribe had seen healing in a long time.</p><p>The water against his head felt cool, and the light it emitted did not bother his eyes as much as he thought it would. Instead, his vision returned to normal and the pain receded from the back of his head. The old man, using the small leftover amount of water directed it to the burn on his chest. The chief had not even noticed it. The water felt better than anything he had ever experienced before, but it was soon used up and the tingling sensation was gone.</p><p>"How do you feel now?" The old man asked. His sight normal once more, Hakoda gave the man a weak smile.</p><p>"Much better. What did you do?"</p><p>"Some waterbenders are healers, as I'm sure you know," the man explained as he looked to the other men in his cell. "Not all of them, but sometimes when our spirits are strong or The Spirits deem it necessary, we discover we can help others with our bending. My ability would not have been prized back home in the Northern Water Tribe, but I'm glad to put it to use here."</p><p>Hakoda bowed his head. "Thank you." The man smiled and turned to sit back down against the wall of his cell. It was directly across the walkway from their own.</p><p>"Why are you all wet?" asked Sokka, staring at the man.</p><p>"I made sure to fall into the water trough after my match today," the man explained. "The guards won't give us benders more water then we need to drink since they fear we'll escape. So I bring my own water. I've been doing it for years. The guards don't think anything of it."</p><p>Hakoda realized that the water the man brought down could have been used long ego to escape, just as he said, but instead, he used it to help the injured. The old man coughed, his entire body shaking. The wet clothing clung to his thin frame.</p><p>Only then the man's sacrifice truly hit him. Being soaked in this damp and chilly environment would be the death of this old man. Hakoda hung his head for a moment in thought, and then lifted it to send another prayer to Tui and La. He would take this old man's example to heart. He was living here without attempting to escape, simply to help the others who could not, his own people or not.</p><p>Kya had been right, Hakoda thought as tears filled his eyes; the Fire Nation may have taken everything from them, taken their homes, their families, and their freedom, but they could never take away their will to live. That was theirs and theirs alone to give.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter Title from the song: 'Brave' by Sara Bareilles<br/>Update Schedule will be Mondays and Fridays :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. There's No Turning Back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 3 - There's No Turning Back</strong>
</p>
<p>"I wished I could be like them. Now I wish- I had never wished it true. "</p>
<p>"Daddy!" Katara screamed, reaching for him as he was pulled away with Sokka. They were taken out of sight and into the actual building of The Arena. There were a few of the younger men who had been purposely left outside with them. The women watched them all as they were led onto the makeshift stage. The large crowd of Fire Nation civilians went mad, calling and shouting, pointing with bags of coins jangling nosily in their hands.</p>
<p>As the women watched, they did not notice the other small crowd of men slowly circling them. It wasn't until the remaining people at the stage fought to outbid each other over the few remaining earthbenders that it became obvious they were next.</p>
<p>Kanna pressed Katara closer to her chest as the women subconsciously stepped backwards into each other, forming a tight circle of protection, not quite unlike a herd of caribou fending off an attack by wolves back at home.</p>
<p>A man in maroon robes stitched with blood red trim stepped forward and motioned for the firebenders who kept the prisoners from escaping to listen to him. "Except for the four elders and those three," he pointed towards the women in the front who were maybe in their mid 40's or 50's, "I'll take them all."</p>
<p>The firebenders moved in and separated the tribe into two groups. There was much struggling and raised voices. It was obvious, even if their hands had not been bound, that they would not have won the small fight to stay together. One of the guards attempted to pull Katara from Kanna's arms, but the old woman turned and protected her as best she could. Katara clung tighter, nearly choking Kanna in the process; she screamed bloody murder and cried, tears streaming down her face.</p>
<p>"GranGran!" </p>
<p>The firebender tried to wedge his hand between the two to pry the girl child off. The scene escaladed, and soon they gathered the attention of some of the other bidders. The buyer noticed the witnesses and called to the solider still working Katara from her grandmother's arms.</p>
<p>"Stop!" He called, waving him off the pair dismissively. "I don't need that one. She's too young anyway." The soldiers released Katara, and Kanna sunk to the ground in relief that her granddaughter would not be parted from her just yet. The old woman stroked Katara's hair, trying to settle her as well as calm her own racing heart. The child's sobs subsided but not before they were led as a group onto the same stage as the others before them.</p>
<p>Kanna watched the women who had been chosen as they had their bound hands tied to one another on a long rope and were led out of the arena after a large sum of gold had traded hands.</p>
<p>Directly below the remaining line of women stood the remainder of Fire Nation citizens watching them. Some counted the coins in their purses while others eyed each of the women in turn.</p>
<p>Eyes red rimmed and glistening with hot tears, Katara finally lifted her eyes from where she buried them in Kanna's parka. All the women still wore them, even though they were sweating unbearably.</p>
<p>Kanna and Katara stood near the edge of the platform. The single man who talked to the buyers stood nearest them, though he moved down their line and held out an open arm to gesture at them all. The few firebender guards stood behind them, watching their every move. The man gestured to the group of them again.</p>
<p>"Any takers?" He asked the crowd. A few men called out bids for the youngest of the remaining women on the far left. She was dragged off the stage when the numbers ran out. The next call was surprising though.</p>
<p>"Those two." A man, maybe in his mid-30's, pointed at Kanna and Katara. "How much for both?" A number was thrown out, but no one else fought the man's bid. Money was exchanged and a single piece of paper signed. Kanna was led off the stage to where the man waited. She eyed him as she shifted Katara's weight in her arms.</p>
<p>"Your granddaughter?" The man asked. Kanna nodded hesitantly; she was unsure of what to expect from this man. The fact that they had not been separated <em>almost</em> outweighed the notion that they had both been bought like meat at a market. "How old is she?"</p>
<p>"Six," Kana spoke, still cautious.</p>
<p>The man nodded. "Perfect." He turned, motioned for Kanna to follow, and began walking without even seeing if she bothered to listen. Kanna did.</p>
<p>"My daughter turns nine within the month. This one will make an excellent playmate. But more important than that, I'm in need of a nanny. My son is still young and needs someone to look after him. I can't be there, and the maid is no good with babies. I can't afford to replace another one."</p>
<p>"What about your wife?" Kanna asked slowly as the man guided them to a carriage pulled by two aging ostrich-horses. The driver held the door open for them, even offering Kanna a hand up the steps. When the door was shut and they were on their way, the man answered.</p>
<p>"She's bedridden. She can't take care of herself, much less two children." There was a second of silence. "And your names."</p>
<p>"Kanna," the old woman replied, "and this is Katara." Katara sat placidly in her grandmother's lap now, intrigued by the passing scenery. Her eyes were still red from the tears, and her sleeve cuffs held evidence of where she had wiped her nose.</p>
<p>"The Water Tribe has such interesting names," the man stated, more to himself then to Kanna and Katara. His gaze hardened then, "speaking of such, I will tell you this once. You two are now mine by law. If you do what I have instructed you to do, we will not have any issues and your lives will be filled with comforts unimaginable to people of your station. But dare to cross me or try to escape and I promise to you, you have much more to lose then I do. Do I make myself clear?" Kanna looked down at Katara and stroked the girl's long brown hair. She absentmindedly noticed that it needed to be brushed and rebraided.</p>
<p>Kanna knew how to pick her battles. "How shall we address you?"</p>
<p>"Zu, my name is Oran Zu. You may call me Master or Master Zu."</p>
<p>"Yes, Master Zu. I understand." Her answer satisfied the man. Once they arrived at his modest home, they were greeted by his daughter. She ran into his arms once inside and noticed Kanna and Katara. Kanna set Katara down and held her hand now that her bonds were cut. The carriage driver had appeared the moment she stepped to the ground and cut them for her. He took the severed ropes and disappeared as quickly as he came.</p>
<p>"Papa, who-?"</p>
<p>"My dear," Oran Zu smiled. "This is your new nanny Kanna, and a playmate to keep you company." The child smiled at the two of them and then turned back to her father to regale him with the goings on of her day.</p>
<p>Kanna and Katara were led to the nursery and shown into the small bedroom, much the size of a closet. This single room with its single bed was theirs, Mr. Zu explained. The door led into the nursery where the three-year-old toddler slept. Food would be brought to their room by Mr. Zu's butler and they were told not to worry about their clothing for the time being. All would be provided for them in time.</p>
<p>They weren't the only two who served the Zu household. The house was large, so Kanna could see the master's justification for having many servants. There was a single chief and a butler, both who appeared to be Fire Nation men. The handful of other servants, the maids and the grounds keepers, all were from the Earth Kingdom. They were all in their forties at least and kept to themselves when Kanna and Katara were around. Luckily, watching the children was a fulltime job, so Kanna never felt inclined to get to know them.</p>
<p>Waking with the sun like the rest of the city was a struggle for Kanna. Members of the Water Tribe were accustomed to staying up in the night under the moon, thus rising late. For Katara, who typically was up anyway and full of all her childhood energy, it wasn't that big of a deal to adjust her schedule. Though, as Kanna dressed the child the next morning with the clothing she found just inside the door, she was met with a question.</p>
<p>"GranGran? I miss momma. I want to see her." The old women felt her heart break. Katara was apparently too young to understand the concept of death and the finality of it even after her father explained it yesterday. She didn't fault the child after all that happened for not recalling the conversation. It felt like ages ago, even to her.</p>
<p>"She's gone Katara." The old woman frowned and sighed, touching her granddaughter's forehead. "Your mother is watching over you with Tui and La." She tied the burgundy sash around Katara's waist in a loose knot.</p>
<p>"Why? I miss her. When is she coming back?"</p>
<p>"Katara, listen to me," Kanna said, holding the little one's shoulders. The room they shared was silent, slowly filling with sunlight as Kanna thought how to phrase her words. Innocent blue eyes stared up at her, waiting.</p>
<p>"Your mother is never coming back." Kanna said slowly, inwardly cringing the finality of the word <em>never</em>. "She can't, but she's watching over you, because she loves you very much." Kanna's gaze fell to the betrothal necklace Katara wore and smiled. She wiped the tears from the little girl's eyes and took her hand. The woman guided her small hand to the pendant.</p>
<p>"As long as you wear this necklace," she smiled. "You will carry a piece of her with you for when you most need strength. You must never take this off." Katara tried to smile up at her grandmother, but her sadness was still strong.</p>
<p>"And Dad? And Sokka? Are they with Tui and La too?"</p>
<p>"No Katara," Kanna explained. She truthfully did not know where they had been taken, so she was unable to answer her granddaughter's question. "If you're lucky, you may get to see them someday." They shared a comforting hug and together walked into the nursery where the boy still slept. Ouran Zu's daughter met them in the room once the curtains were drawn.</p>
<p>"Papa says you're the new nanny," she stated when Kanna peered over the crib to check on the toddler. She had been told her duties would begin today and was given yesterday to settle into the room. "Have you ever been a nanny before? You look really old, so you must have been. Did you look after the Tunzon's kids? Or the two boys down the street? Or maybe even the royal-"</p>
<p>"Bai," Kanna interrupted the child's rambling, remembering her name from all the things the master had told her. "Why don't you get dressed so we can have breakfast?" The girl stood in the doorway in a pink silk nightgown with ruffles on the neckline and the hemline that came to her knees. Seeing that both her nanny and her supposed new playmate were dressed already, she gasped and disappeared into another room.</p>
<p>Kanna waved Katara after her. The child cautiously did as she was bid. Kanna changed the boy's diaper and dressed him in a loose tunic from the pile she assumed was clean next to his crib. The room would need to be cleaned and picked up; she nearly tripped over a pile of broken toys on the way out.</p>
<p>She found Bai eagerly explaining the merits of Fire Nation fashions to a starry eyed Katara in the girl's room minutes later. Toys littered the floor, clothing was hung halfway out of the drawers, and the bed was unmade.</p>
<p>Homes back in the southern Water Tribe were small, large spaces were not conducive for keeping warm. Thus, they did not have the luxary to be messy. Even Katara knew she had to pick up her toys when she was done playing with them in order to not be in someone else's way. Considering she only had a handful of toys- it wasn't too hard. Kanna added Bai's room to her mental to-do list.</p>
<p>Ouran Zu had not given her specific instructions aside from that both children needed to be well cared for. They needed to be feed, cleaned, and looked after at all times. She assumed cleaning the rooms came as part of the package. The old woman did not care about the work she had been given, as long as it kept Katara safe.</p>
<p>She realized they had fallen into a better situation then she could have wished for after everything that had already happened. As bad as they were, she knew things could be far worse.</p>
<p>They all headed down to breakfast and Kanna was happy to see that Bai seemed to have taken well to Katara.</p>
<p>And thus Kanna and Katara vanished into the normal schedule of the Fire Nation. For the first few months they both struggled to adjust to their new lives. Katara cried often about missing Sokka, her father, and her mother, but Bai kept her busy enough with play during the day.</p>
<p>Kanna cared for the lord's son and watched the girls when they would want to be outside. It was a thankless task, though she was able to learn much more about the land that they had been brought to that she had been previously unaware of.</p>
<p>The girls sat outside in the garden in the back of the house and played with Bai's dolls as Kanna watched nearby. The little boy was content to chase after dragonflies and butterflies in the garden on his own. It was spring, and the weather had yet to become too hot for Kanna to enjoy. Katara seemed to have adapted well to the drastic change in climate. She no longer had trouble falling asleep in the heat as her grandmother still did. Kanna knew children never truly felt heat or cold until their preteen years, but it was still a good step.</p>
<p>Out at the far end of the enclosed yard, a trio of grounds keepers worked to repair the stone fence and build a pond. The idea of a pond seemed unusual in the Fire Nation at first, but Bai explained to Katara once construction began that it would be the new home of the three butterfly koi fish her father had been given as a get-well gift for her mother. She was also excited about the ruby salamanders her teacher had spoken about in class during their short wildlife lesson that might make an appearance in a pond environment.</p>
<p>The Earth Kingdom men argued loudly for a moment, then fell into harsh whispers. They were all waist deep in the ditch that was going to be the pond. Two of them held shovels and the third was gesturing wildly at the bottom of the hole. Bai and Katara looked up when one man flung his shovel down and it clanged loudly off what sounded like a large rock. The men stopped and stared at the girls until they turned away. Katara turned back to the dolls entirely, but Bai snuck glances at the workers. Kanna turned to watch the little boy for a moment before noticing the eldest child's attempts to spy.</p>
<p>Nothing out of the ordinary happened for the next several minutes and Kanna realized lunch would be ready shortly. After that, she would need to get Bai ready for her lessons. She called the girls in and gathered up the blanket with the dolls. The little boy followed after his older sister and Katara, leaving only Kanna outside for a moment.</p>
<p>Then it happened.</p>
<p>Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the one Earth Kingdom man take a wide stance. The other two moved out of the hole. After a second of straining, the large rock was flung from the hole and landed on the discarded shovels, causing all the men to flinch with the clatter. Kanna turned away to make sure the children were inside so she could start lunch. It didn't occur to her that seeing an unpracticed earthbender move a rock was a big deal until she was met with three sets of eyes, two brown and one blue. All of them stared in awe.</p>
<p>"Bending," the boy cooed, reaching out with his fingers as if to take the magic from the air. Kanna scoped him up and moved for Bai who looked like she was going to bolt. Kanna originally mistook her expression for fear. The girl child had her eyebrows furrowed and lips set in a confused frown. Katara stood confused beside her.</p>
<p>"Inside Bai." Kanna began, filling the doorway with her form. "It's ok."</p>
<p>"I'm telling Father," she stated and rushed off. Kanna held her brother tighter once he squirmed to get free at the mention of his father. The men seemed to have noticed the commotion in the doorway; the bender's face was white with fear.</p>
<p>"Let's go inside Katara." She guided the child inside, wondering what fate the man outside faced once Bai told her father what she had seen. When she learned the answer, she was horrified.</p>
<p>A full year passed, and as birthday gift to his son, Oran Zu took them all to The Arena to watch the fights. Kanna had fallen into her role of child sitter-now-teacher almost naturally. She had even impressed Master Zu when his son greeted him with the proper Fire Nation salute. The old woman had picked up more than she let on.</p>
<p>Katara, still a quiet child, was finally beginning to open up. Spending time with the bubbly Bai seemed to keep a smile on her face. She learned almost as much as Kanna did watching the servants and guests to the house by simply talking and playing with Bai. Bai loved answering Katara's questions about simple things any Fire Nation child should know. If Kanna didn't know any better, she would have thought that the Fire Nation girl saw Katara as more than a servant and instead as a friend.</p>
<p>The day they went to The Arena was sunny but cool. The weather never shifted cooler than warm in the capital, but that day had a pleasant crosswind. They: master Zu, his son and daughter, and Kanna and Katara, took their seats on the lowest platform. They were only a few rows from the ground where the warriors fought. Currently two men in gray tunics with green belts hurled boulders at the other, trying to pound the other to dust.</p>
<p>"Papa!" The boy shouted over the applause and cheers when one bender finally defeated the other. "When are the tiger-oxs coming out?"</p>
<p>"After a few more earth bending matches," Mr. Zu smiled. The boy grinned like a fool while Bai chatted at Katara. The young Water Tribe girl watched the next two rounds in silence. Finally, there was an intermission after the earthbending was over. The stands only grew more crowded as the sun rose.</p>
<p>After watching the events, Katara turned to Bai with questions. She seemed not to associate the location with her dreadful first experience there a year and some previous.</p>
<p>"Why were they fighting Bai?" Katara questioned.</p>
<p>"For us to watch." Bai explained without skipping a beat. "I wish they did firebending matches, but all the good benders are off at the war. Papa says they used to fight here when he was really little. So now all we have are earth and water benders. And they have to fight, Papa wasn't so happy when he heard that no one could have benders since they have to go to The Arena. I'm not sure why though. But he says he'd get in trouble if the city guard found him with a bender. That's why we have to be on the lookout for anyone who can bend so they can be sent back here and we don't get in trouble."</p>
<p>Katara nodded and thought about the earthbender in the yard. Kanna had kept them inside the rest of the day, and she had not seen him at the house since.</p>
<p>"Tiger-oxes! Tiger-oxes!" Screamed Bai's brother happily. Two large creatures were released into the arena with three men with spears. It didn't take long before one of the warriors stabbed the smaller ox with his spear. Bai cried out.</p>
<p>"He's hurting the tiger-ox!" She sobbed. Katara did not respond as she watched the wounded animal attack, pinning the man to the ground and mauling him. Bai felt no sympathy for the human.</p>
<p>"Why aren't they bending?" asked Katara.</p>
<p>"They aren't benders," Kanna answered. Her knuckles were white as she watched the remaining two men prod at the small tiger ox, sending him scurrying back to his cage. Both men were dressed in grey pants without shirts. From high in the stands, there was only one way to accurately tell them apart. They each wore a tattered sash tied as a belt in a different color. The two men still fighting each had on a different shade of green; the body forgotten on the ground had a blue one.</p>
<p>"What are the colors for?" Katara asked. The remaining tiger-ox charged and grabbed one of the man's arms in its jaws. His screams were drowned out by the crowd. Bai shrugged, ignoring the fight.</p>
<p>"Papa?" Bai asked, pulling on his sleeve. "Why do the men wear the colored belts?"</p>
<p>"To tell them apart," her father answered, eyes never leaving the fight.</p>
<p>"Why?" asked Bai. She cheered with others when the tiger-ox avoided being stabbed and knocked the remaining fighter to his back on the ground.</p>
<p>"For betting," her father explained again. "If you pick the correct color and that color is the last one standing, you win."</p>
<p>"Oh," Bai nodded. She turned to Katara. "Who'd you pick?"</p>
<p>"No one," Katara answered honestly. "I didn't know I was supposed to pick one."</p>
<p>"Well, I picked the tiger-ox," Bai smiled. "So I win." Katara giggled halfheartedly with her as the animals were herded back into the cages by several brightly dressed firebenders. The bodies were dragged off in the direction opposite. Kanna quietly wiped away gathering tears and turned her attention back to the children as more matches began.</p>
<p>They took a break for lunch; Mr. Zu took his two children to the open café overlooking the arena on the top floor and left Kanna and Katara to save their seats. The open seating was sparse now, something big must be happening soon.</p>
<p>Even without Mr. Zu around, Kanna made no move to take Katara and run. An old woman could never get far enough from the Fire Nation before someone caught them. As much as she hated where they ended up, she knew they were lucky. She would not risk Katara's future more than it already was unless she was sure it would work.</p>
<p>Even though they were dressed in comparable outfits to the Zus on their outing, it would not be enough. Besides, she noticed that their master had spoken with the security patrols wandering the stands about leaving them there. There was nothing the old woman missed these days.</p>
<p>Firebenders down on the arena floor pulled into place large troughs of water. The announcers called out the next fight and two men entered. They each wore blue belts over their grey tunics, one light and the other dark blue.</p>
<p>"GranGran!" Katara gasped in awe as the match began, "they're waterbenders!" While the two opponents were unevenly skilled, the fight was beautiful to watch. Katara was spellbound.</p>
<p>The older man was obviously a master. The younger bender made an impressive display of bending with multiple water whips but missed several openings. The master knocked the boy off his stance and delivered the finishing blow with clean efficiency. The crowd cheered once he left the arena as the victor.</p>
<p>"Did you see that GranGran? He was amazing!" Katara asked, turning away from the arena. The fact that one of the fighters lay dead did not seem to register in her mind. "I wish I was a waterbender."</p>
<p>Kanna turned on the child with more force then necessary. "No, you don't. Not anymore. If you were a waterbender, you'd be taken away and made to fight to your death- or worse. You're safer this way." Katara looked back to the arena where the dead man was dragged off. The child let a strange look cross her face and looked back up at her grandmother.</p>
<p>"What's worse than dying, GranGran?" Katara asked, her big blue eyes full of childhood innocence. Her question brought memories of Kya to the forefront of her mind.</p>
<p>"I'll tell you when you're older, Katara," Kanna sighed.</p>
<p>A handful of matches passed until Mr. Zu and his children returned. They sat back down and he handed Kanna a folded cloth napkin. Unwrapping it, she pulled out a simple sandwich cut into two pieces. She passed Katara one and ate the other.</p>
<p>"Look!" Bai pointed. The announcer called out the next match, drowning out anything she said afterwards.</p>
<p>"It's time for the last two matches, and you should enjoy them today! First up we have 'Fists of Fire'. He chooses for his opponent, an earthbender!" A man dressed in shiny red robes with a yellow mask stepped into the arena. He raised his hands, clenched into fists, and shot bursts of fire into the air. The crowd went wild. The earthbender appeared and the fight began.</p>
<p>"That's not his real name right?" Katara asked Bai as she licked her fingers from the sandwich, "Fists of Fire?" Bai giggled.</p>
<p>"No. Papa told me that the fighters in masks are other noblemen. They don't show their faces or go by their real names to keep them a secret. They only have to reveal their faces if they lose," Bai explained. Katara nodded. They watched the fight until the earthbender yielded.</p>
<p>The firebender had only one good move, no doubt the reason for his name. He was close range fighter, jabbing and punching with flaming fists, leaving nasty burn marks. He was declared the winner and walked out of the stadium, yielding the arena with next man. The earthbender was led back to the opening in the arena wall, happy to still be standing.</p>
<p>"Up next, and the last match of the day is 'The Blue Spirit'. He chooses as his opponent, two nonbenders!" There was a slight confusion in the crowd about the choice of opponents as a young man with a slight frame walked onto the arena wearing a blue demon mask. A sheath held a sword across his back. The nonbenders stumbled onto the field. Kanna gasped as she recognized a man from their village.</p>
<p>The fight began, the three men pulled out their weapons: the Blue Spirit held two swords and the warriors had Fire Nation pikes with steal reinforcements on the wooden poles. They danced around each other until one of the warriors charged. The Blue Spirit avoided the attack and put a clean set of shallow slices into the man's left thigh. The other man's pike was chopped in half by the dual swords and he ended up on the ground with a boot on his chest.</p>
<p>The second warrior threw his spear at the men under the blue spirit mask and charged behind it. The Blue Spirit hacked the pike away and sliced into the running warrior's chest before he could stop his momentum. The two slashes across his torso welled with blood, and he stumbled backwards onto the ground as well. The noble held up a single one of his swords into the air and the crowd went wild.</p>
<p>"That was cool Papa!" Bai's brother shouted. "He beat two men without firebending!" Katara was just as awestruck.</p>
<p>They went to the arena four more times in the next two years. Only once did the Blue Spirit fight while they were there. He won against an earth bender and nonbender. Bai loved watching him fight, and in turn Katara grew to idolize him as well.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>As the children aged, Kanna became more and more of a tutor instead of simply a nanny. The boy began learning his letters, something Kanna could teach easily. It was more difficult with Bai.</p>
<p>Her father had her schooling with a private instructor on all manners of proper ladylike etiquette. To be able to help her, Kanna had to sit in the back of her lessons and remember what Bai was learning. Luckily, the little girl liked playing teacher and bossing Katara around in her own little-girl way. The amount of tea parties they held doubled. Together, they would practice the proper mannerisms and whatnot that a good society lady should possess with Kanna watching over them.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Everything seemed to be flowing smoothly until Katara turned eight. Shortly after her birthday, Katara locked herself in the bathing room halfway through a bath and refused to come out. Mr. Zu had taken Bai and her brother out that day and no one but Kanna had been home to notice. It took two hours for Kanna to finally get the child to unlock the door.</p>
<p>"Katara, what's wrong? Are you ok?"</p>
<p>Katara shook her head. "You won't be happy." Looking around the room, Kanna noticed that almost every surface was soaked with soapy bathwater. She knew her granddaughter wanted to take a bath, but she wasn't sure why she was crying and still fully dressed.</p>
<p>"What were you doing?"</p>
<p>"GranGran," Katara sobbed. Tears burning on her cheeks.</p>
<p>"Tell me Katara, what's wrong?"</p>
<p>"I'm- I'm a-" She whispered the word, "a waterbender." Kanna scooped Katara into her arms and hugged her as the soap dripped from the walls, ceiling, and decorations onto the floor. They stood like that for a long time, both tearful.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry GranGran."</p>
<p>"You have nothing to be sorry for Katara," she smiled. No child should be fearful of being a bender. It was a blessing in any other part of the world.</p>
<p>"But you said-"</p>
<p>"I know," GranGran nodded. "You must never tell anyone of your gift. I won't let anyone take you away from me Katara." Katara froze as she heard those same words her mother promised years ago. Kanna seemed to realize what she had said and smiled.</p>
<p>"Your mother would be proud of you Katara." Katara smiled and released her grandmother from her hug, touching the blue necklace.</p>
<p>"Now, let's get this place cleaned up before they get back. Katara nodded and grabbed several towels. As they cleaned, Katara showed Kana what had happened and how the room became covered in bubbles. Her waterbending was weak, but it was the simple fact that she <em>could</em> which worried Kanna. At least she had no fear that her granddaughter would tell anyone. Katara was too frightened to utter a word of her new ability.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Over the next year, things fell back into place after the bath mishap. Master Zu even enjoyed the knowledge that his wife had taken a turn for the better. Her condition had improved markedly, and she enjoyed taking short walks with her two children in the small yard that surrounded the house.</p>
<p>It was a saddening and a sudden event when Kanna fell ill. It started with the basic symptoms of a cold but then evolved into something more. Two days after she displayed symptoms, Kanna was confined to bed when she could no longer walk without help. When she showed no signs of recovering on her own, Master Zu called in the local doctor. While the two children were steadily on their way to not needing a nanny, he liked having something to keep an eye on them and out of trouble while his wife grew stronger.</p>
<p>The doctor saw to Kanna for several hours straight when he arrived, trying to get her fever to break. He told the family that while what she was sick with was strong, if they showed no symptoms by now than they had not caught it and would be fine.</p>
<p>The bad news came for the diagnosis though. Kanna had begun to cough up blood in the last hour and showed no signs of improvement. The doctor told Master Zu he assumed she'd be gone by morning. Katara heard his words through the partway open door. Tears streaming down her face, Katara stood at her grandmother's bedside.</p>
<p>Kana offered the child her hand. Katara took it between her own.</p>
<p>"GranGran," Katara sobbed. "The doctor-"</p>
<p>"Shh Katara. I know what he said. Listen carefully." The child nodded, leaning onto the bed to get closer. The doors to the kitchen swung open and through the open windows Katara heard a women's voice with Bai and her brother. They laughed together, as if nothing was wrong with the world.</p>
<p>Kanna choked. "You need to be careful Katara. This isn't the Southern Water Tribe, this place is dangerous, especially for you. I wish I knew where your father and brother were. You'd be safest with them."</p>
<p>"I'm safe here GranGran, with Mr. Zu and Bai and-"</p>
<p>"I fear our time with them is numbered." She knew that soon Bai would out-grow a need for a younger playmate, and she worried what Oran would do with Katara then. For as nice as he was, he was still their master, and he could do what he wished to them without penalty.</p>
<p>"Why?" Her grandmother's breathing grew more labored and she closed her eyes. "Please GranGran, I don't understand. Don't leave me alone. I need you!" She threw herself on top of her grandmother's chest.</p>
<p>Kanna smiled. "You're a big girl Katara, a waterbender. Make your mother even more proud then she already is as she watches over you with the spirits."</p>
<p>Kanna touched the necklace at Katara's throat. The child never took it off, even at night. Bai had asked about it, even made fun of Katara for wearing it with her red clothing she had been given when they arrived. Katara cared not that it didn't match her outfits, it was the only thing she had of her mother. After a while, even Bai seemed to respect that reasoning.</p>
<p>Kanna smiled, we voice weak. "We both love you very much Katara." Katara blinked away tears and tried to smile back.</p>
<p>"I love you too," she whispered. She rested her head on the bed and cried. She fell asleep and only woke hours later after the sun went down. Someone had draped a blanket over her shoulders while she slept.</p>
<p>Katara pulled the blanket tighter and stood. She had no one now, and GranGran said it wasn't safe anymore, not even here. Though she herself did not know why, she would take her grandmother's word. The child stood stiff with indecision as she contemplated her options. There weren't many.</p>
<p>After a single kiss on GranGran's cool cheek, the room was empty. Katara changed into her day cloths and stole into the kitchen, the blanket tied around her neck like a cape. She grabbed the first thing she could and left out the backdoor. She ended up with half a loaf of spiced bread, not her favorite, but what did a 9-year-old know about running away. The darkness of the city swallowed her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter Title from the song: 'Metamorphosis ' by Hilary Duff<br/>(How's that for a blast from the past ;) )</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. I'll Keep you Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 4- I'll Keep You Alive</strong>
</p><p>"Maybe, just maybe, if I close my eyes- the pain will all just go away."</p><p> </p><p>He moved through the midnight streets with practiced ease, neither seen nor heard. It was much easier without the physical weapons he usually wore strapped to his back. His intended destination was nearby, though the journey took longer than he expected. The capital had been recently overrun with displaced citizens fleeing the conflict with the Earth King to the east. The streets, normally open and clean, were filled with the destitute. These Fire Nation men, women, and children had made a choice, flee the Earth Kingdom armies, or be killed: they had chosen a life of misery.</p><p>It had not been an overnight phenomenon of course. The last year had seen an increase in warfare between the two nations, the previous few months the worst of all. After one hundred years the war finally showed signs of ending, though not without a bloody final battle. Rumors of the Fire Nation's armies once again reaching the great wall at Ba Sing Se were carried to the capital with the fleeing people. </p><p>Most of them had once been eager colonists, ready to change the conquered towns and land and bring glory to their country. The Earth Kingdom armies saw the potential for a strike of moral and exploited it, ravaging the new towns with every mile the encroaching Fire Nation advanced on the wall. It was no longer a fight of armies and soldiers; Fire Nation civilians were the newest target. A target the Fire Lord did not care to protect.</p><p>The shadow stepped over a sleeping man in the alleyway, pausing just long enough to cheek the street for passing patrols. The Fire Lord viewed his own citizens- at least the ones sleeping on the streets, as a plague. Anyone found on the street would be dealt with accordingly. Many ended up at The Arena to fight their way back to freedom with honor, but most of those men were killed. The prisoners from other countries had a much stronger will to live. The young man shook his head with the thought; it saddened him that his own people seemed to have nothing to live for.</p><p>A set of guards on their rounds sent the man ducking between two buildings and behind a bakery to avoid them. He was not in the mood to explain himself to a set of guards tonight. He had a much different intention for the bag of coins at his hip. As he waited for them to move far enough along, he heard a soft moan from the corner he stood opposite of.</p><p>Normally he would have thought nothing of it, but whatever made the pathetic sound shifted into the moonlight. He was met with big blue eyes glazed with exhaustion. Curiosity piqued, he moved closer and discovered a child. Her clothing was torn to rags; her hands and face were filthy. Though the Fire Nation's winter was warm, he noticed that she had no shoes and no blanket or cloak as the other street people had. She wore the color of his nation, but her eyes spoke of another parentage. They simply stared at each other for a moment.</p><p>The child held him captivated as she struggled to move away from him, deeper into her corner, wedged between a wooden crate for trash from the bakery and the wall. Her strength fled her, and she fell sideways. The young man immediately came closer and helped her up so she could sit, leaning against the stone wall. He could see her eyes struggling to focus.</p><p>His own wants could wait, this he knew; this child needed help, desperately. A child could not control his or her fate, their lives were handed to them with no say otherwise. He felt a flash of pity.</p><p>She was nothing but bones when he scooped her into his arms to carry her away. Avoiding the patrols was completely necessary now; he would never get the Fire Lord to understand why he was saving the 'filth and pollution of his fine city'. Luckily, his destination was just slightly out of the way of his original goal.</p><p>The orphanage in town was a decent building. Being the capital city, most of the children housed inside had part high-ranking or even noble blood in their veins, but neither parent could afford, be it politically or monetarily, to keep them openly. Even so, the building was well cared for and would give this child the best chance at moving forward.</p><p>The young man guessed that she could not have been more than six years old; she was so tiny. He thought to his youngest cousin, trying to remember when she had been this frail and could not. She had never been weak. He shook his head. Approaching the building from the back, the man passed under a still burning lantern high above the door. His shadow flew onto the wall behind him before he could kill the flame. His blue demon mask shone in the last spark of light. </p><p>Luckily, no one was out to see. He knew what a stir that would cause if anyone found out his true identity. News of the war was never enough for gossip in the upper echelons.</p><p>The Blue Spirit peered into the window and paused. Rows and rows of bedrolls filled the dormitory room to capacity. The children nearest the windows had kicked off their covers. Their too-large sleeping shirts, embroidered with the symbol of the orphanage, dwarfed their scrawny bodies. They weren't starving as the girl in his arms was, but they weren't doing much better. It seemed the war had sucked even the orphanage's wealthy benefactors dry of excess coin.</p><p>The Blue Spirit made another mental note of more changes for the future and stood stone-still with the child tucked in his arms. He pushed a matted lock of her brown hair away from his face as she snuggled into the crook on his neck. He felt the heat on her dark skin from fever. The young man had a choice to make; he could still deliver her here and be left to wonder if she even survived, or he could think of somewhere she would get the attention to heal.</p><p>Conveniently, he did not need to think too long for the answer. It was not the ideal solution, since he would be choosing a not-so-honorable path for the child when she grew up, but at least she wouldn't die. The child's breathing was so shallow at times that if he didn't feel her breath against his neck every so often, he feared she had already left him.</p><p>Again, he took to the shadows and moved back the way he had come up the street. Finally, the building he had intended to find at the start of the night came into view. The sign read 'Spit-Fire' and the lights on the main floor were out. He knew any customers, aside from himself, would be upstairs at this hour, enjoying themselves the way only they could at such an establishment.</p><p>He moved silently to the back door and lifted a hand to knock. The door opened before he could touch it and the Blue Spirit came face to face with the medic who worked at the Arena. The middle-aged man recognized him for his fighting persona and gave him a sly look until he noticed the child balanced in his arms.</p><p>"I assume you're not here for the <em>older</em> girls then?" The doctor nodded at the child. The Blue Spirit was stunned. Whatever he had done in a past life, it must have been good for the solution to his problem to be standing right in front of him.</p><p>"She's dying."</p><p>"So why come here?" The doctor questioned. Even as he spoke, he set down his bag and motioned for the man to put the child on the step. The man under the mask wondered why the arena doctor would tend to the occupants in this building instead of one of the city doctors. Surely the owners had enough money to pay the outrageous fees some of the medics charged.</p><p>Before he could respond, the doctor placed two fingers at the girls' neck and instructed the man to stop him when he counted to ten.</p><p>He counted. The doctor nodded.</p><p>"She's starving and is hot with fever." The Blue Spirit already knew that. Anyone with eyes could see that. The doctor kept talking. "Her heart rate is slow, and the flow is incredibly weak. It's nothing some attention and good food won't cure. Though the fever concerns me, it's not much, but it might become serious if left untreated."</p><p>"Will you heal her?" asked the Blue Spirit.</p><p>"Why do you care so much for his child? She's too old to be yours." The doctor stated. The man's voice was not condescending; he was truthfully curious.</p><p>The statement was enough to let panic flash across the Blue Spirit's face, luckily hidden under his mask. His identity was a secret, but he knew the Arena doctor was connected to the right people to maybe have figured it out. He'd need to be more careful. The's doctor's lingering question buzzed in his mind.</p><p>"I'm not sure," the young man finally answered. And he wasn't sure; he had passed children on the street, sick, begging, and even dying. He'd never been compelled to save any of them. Not until now. He knew what his father would say about the encounter; he would go on with quotes about destiny and what not. The young man never truly thought about any of that until this moment. Destiny could be a funny thing, and right now something told him this girl had to live.</p><p>"Take her," the Blue Spirit ordered, almost pleading. "Heal her. Maybe she can help you with your work. You'll work yourself to death alone old man."</p><p>"What's a little girl going to do to help me?" The doctor asked. The child opened her eyes slowly, struggling to regain consciousness as the voices spoke over her. She tried to focus, but the world blurred again and her eyes fell shut. She only saw one thing clearly: the mask of the blue spirit in the flickering lantern light.</p><p>"Not only a girl, but a Water Tribe girl." The doctor sighed, watching her fall into her quasi state of consciousness. "She belongs to someone. She has to."</p><p>"Or she's a half-blood, a bastard. These were nice clothes at one point. It's not uncommon to kick half-bloods out if one parent dies or the household falls into ruin. I've seen it happen." He knew the stories. Entire households fallen into ruin. Boys too young to be soldiers faking their ages to join the war effort for the realitive stability it brought them. He'd spoken with enough of them in the last few years, before they figured out who he was. But this was a girl, and she was dying. "Please, take her with you." The doctor sighed; looking down at the girl as she barely clung to life.</p><p>"I can't afford-"</p><p>The blue spirit pulled out a small pouch of coins, golden ones, and forced a hefty sum in the doctor's hands. His eyes widened.</p><p>"How many women did you plan to go through tonight?"</p><p>The Blue Spirit ignored the comment. "Watch over her, this should be more than enough." He watched as the medic pocketed the gold and then lifted both the child and his bag into his arms. When he walked down the street, the young man under the mask breathed out a sigh of relief and walked into the brothel with a clean conscience.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from 'Give Me a Sign' by Breaking Benjamin</p><p>I'm positive I've dropped enough hints in this chapter, but I'm still curious to see if you can figure out his identity before I reveal it later on. I know its been bugging some of you in your wonderful reviews ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Its Good to See You Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 5- Its Good to See You Again</strong>
</p><p>"As he sat there injured, something inside me awoke, as if it had simply been forgotten "</p><p> </p><p>Sounds of steel clashing woke Katara the next morning. Blinking open blue eyes, the child looked around the clean room she found herself in. The wall she faced was covered with a tall shelf that held many books along with a handful of dying plants. Curtains blew gently in front of the open window over the cot she slept on.</p><p>Flashes of the night, almost dreamlike fragments of memory surfaced in her mind. She saw a stool set beside her bed, a lone glass of water sitting on it, waiting. Katara sat up and felt her head spin. She was forced to wait a moment for her balance to return before she reached for the glass and downed the entire thing.</p><p>"Oh good, you're up."</p><p>The girl looked over to see a middle-aged man walk into the room and approach the bed she slept in. She clutched the empty glass tighter.</p><p>He continued, "How are you feeling?"</p><p>"Hungry," she answered slowly. The man chuckled to himself and offered her a plate with small pre-sliced pieces of bread, sliced meat, and cheese. She would have wondered why the pieces were so small, if she had not been so hungry.</p><p>The last few weeks had been nothing but bad luck for her. With the increasing amounts of refugees- Katara had no idea why Fire Nation citizens were in the streets, her ability to steal food while she searched for her father and brother or anyone from her tribe had been extremely limited.</p><p>"Now eat <em>slowly</em>. I'll get you more water." The man left the room, but when he returned, the food was gone. He offered Katara the refilled water cup. She drank it slowly as he talked to her from the stool where he rested.</p><p>"I didn't think you'd make it through the night. You were shaking when I got you. I think dehydration had set in." He paused then added, "I sat with you last night, sitting you up, giving you sips of water every hour or so. I guess it was like having a baby to care for. But I'm glad you're looking better. He'd kill me if I let you die." The child wasn't sure if the man was kidding or not, she could only assume so.</p><p>"Who?" She did not know of anyone still in her life that cared for her.</p><p>"You wouldn't know him."</p><p>"Was it the man in the blue mask?" She squinted her eyes as she thought. "He was the Blue Spirit right? The fighter in the arena."</p><p>"You recall what happened last night?" The man asked after he nodded in response to her question. The girl shook her head.</p><p>"Only pieces." After a moment of silence proved she would share no more on her own, the man prompted her.</p><p>"What's your name, little one?"</p><p>"Katara." Her name enough answered the man's next question about her parentage: it was not a Fire Nation name.</p><p>"Well Katara, I've been tasked with your recovery. When you are healthy once more, you are welcome to assist me here, as was his recommendation, or I can attempt to find you another-"</p><p>"Where are we?</p><p>"The Arena."</p><p>"We're in the Arena?" Katara asked. She scrambled to kneel at the window, fought the dizzy spell which overcame her, and looked outside, still swaying. The afternoon marketplace was all she saw. The man helped her sit back down on the cot and motioned for her to sip more of the water.</p><p>"I'm the doctor who looks after the fighters," he explained. "This building is part of the stadium's walls. Out this window is the city surrounding it, and inside through the main room is the door to the arena floor." Silence fell as the words settled in Katara's head.</p><p>"A doctor," Katara sighed, thinking of GranGran. She held back tears. Kanna told it her it was not safe to stay with Oran Zu, but how did she know it was safe to stay with this man? Or safe to stay with anyone? She looked at him again, still tasting the food he'd given her, the water, the medical care. She wanted to trust him.</p><p>She did not want him to send her away to someone else. He seemed kind; Katara decided to take her chances here instead of braving the capital city once more. It had been terrifying watching the other people who stayed out on the street being rounded up by the Fire Nation soldiers. She had become good at blending into corners, becoming small and invisible. She would much rather stay here then face that again. The soliders, in their metal clinking armor, scared her.</p><p>She turned to him and said. "If I wish to stay and help you here, what should I call you?"</p><p>"My name is Shiyu Tung. But please, call me Shiyu, Katara. Everyone else does. Well, that or just Doctor." The child nodded and finished her water, savoring every drop.</p><p>"Now, you stay in bed for the rest of the day, sleep is best right now. I'll get you more to drink."</p><p>...</p><p>"I need more bandages to stop the bleeding," Katara called. The earthbender in front of her lay on the polished stone table the doctor had in the main room he and Katara called home. The whole living space was minimal compared to her last residence. There was the main area where they worked with the injured, almost in front of the doorway that lead into the Arena. No wall separated the cooking area from it, which made heating and fetching water much easier.</p><p>Beyond the kitchen was the room that Katara had taken over, once Shiyu's medical library- though calling it a library was generous. There was a set of steps in the main room that rose into the second level, where the doctor's own bedroom was. Under the steps was the single bathroom. It was sparse, but neither of them seemed to mind.</p><p>The earthbender grunted in pain as Katara applied more pressure to the gash in his arm. Today's first match had been him against a sabertooth moose-lion. He won, but the animal took a good chunk out of his arm in the process. The doctor returned with his stitching needle and more cloth.</p><p>"Flush the wound, and I'll stitch it shut," the doctor explained, though he did not need to. Katara had already moved into position to best help.</p><p>After five years of working as his assistant, she knew what to do in almost any situation. It had been hard at first, the feeling of panic when she wouldn't do what the doctor asked quick enough, or when the injury was so gruesome that she felt sick to her stomach. She learned quickly she couldn't save everyone, though most fighters never made it through the doorway if they were too badly injured.</p><p>Every seven days the Arena opened for the gladiator sports and betting. At first, she simply fetched all the objects that Shiyu requested: 'get another rag', 'fill that bucket with water', 'put this needle in the fire for five seconds'. She picked up his techniques quicker than he expected; thus he gave her more responsibilities.</p><p>She thrived in her new role. Soon she gained his trust completely, and he quickly saw her as more of an equal than just an assistant. He would have never guessed the sickly child he had been tasked with reviving would become such an asset.</p><p>Katara had truly proven her worth two years previous when Shiyu fell ill from food poisoning one of the days when there were matches in The Arena. Before the matches began Katara sat with him, trying to coax him to get a nasty concoction of herbs and minerals into his stomach and changing out the cool towels on his forehead and neck. Once the fighting began, she assisted the injured to the best of her abilities all while caring for the doctor between patients.</p><p>She made it through the day exhausted, sweaty, and splattered with blood. Luckily, no one had been in such serious condition that they died on her watch. The worst case was a waterbender who suffered a burn on his neck and a gash to his left shoulder.</p><p>Burns she could handle, they just needed to be cleaned with cool water, the already formed scar tissue removed and the healing salve applied with clean linen. She was fortunate no one had been ripped to pieces and needed stitching, as the man she held down now did. The concept was simple enough, but it was a job for two people and the doctor could perform this type of task with his eyes closed. After that day, the doctor thanked Katara for her work, even mentioned that she had more than repaid him for saving her life when she had been nine, almost ten.</p><p>"Just a few more stiches," the doctor explained aloud, bringing Katara back to the present. She had her weight, which wasn't much, leaned on top of the bender to keep him still. Most of the warriors thrashed and jerked wildly when faced with the stitching needle. While she had made up the body mass she lost while living on the streets, she was still a thin girl for her age. It was not helpful when trying to restrain a muscle-bound warrior. The doctor tied up the thick threads and moved aside while Katara poured water over the sewed-up wound to clean it once more.</p><p>"I want him back in seven days to check on the stitches," the doctor explained to the guards. It was standard protocol.</p><p>"You'll have to tell his new master," the one firebender explained. At least one arena guard always accompanied the wounded into the doctor's medical room. They typically waited in the entryway, out of sight and typically out of earshot. They had better things to do then listen to Shiyu and Katara pass instructions to each other on healing.</p><p>At first, the guards had frightened Katara, bringing back memories of when she had been brought here as a small child with her tribe. The guards asked about her when she started helping Shiyu as well, questioning where she had come from. The doctor had well-rehearsed answers and gold coins from the Blue Spirit's payment if they asked too many questions. The guards learned quickly to ignore her.</p><p>"Doesn't he belong to the stadium?" asked Shiyu. "I thought benders aren't allowed outside it." Katara dotted herbal ointment onto the angry line of stitches on the earth bender's arm and helped him sit up, her back to the conversation.</p><p>"They aren't, but a rich noble is buying all the fighters he thinks are any good and is training them with the official acceptance of the Fire Lord. He thinks he'll make a ton of money off the betting revenue. The Fire Lord is looking to tax the money he makes. The fighters will be moved to a separate section of cells, but they'll still be housed here. The man is even bringing in his own guards." Katara offered the earthbender a cup of water mixed with pain numbing herbs. The door was thrown open and another warrior was pushed inside. The doctor straightened.</p><p>"Katara, take a note for me," he called, guiding the new injured man to the table. The man's face was covered in blood, and he shook like he was shivering. Katara moved to the instrument table and dipped her brush in a pot of open ink. It had been a pleasant surprise when Shiyu learned the little girl knew her letters. Her handwriting had only gotten better the more she practiced.</p><p>"The gash on your fighter's arm was stitched and cleaned. He needs to be back in my office in seven days' time. Plenty of rest is required to maintain full mobility," the doctor recited. Katara blew on the paper, drying her letters in an instant, and gave it to the doctor to pin onto the men's belt.</p><p>She began washing the blood from the new patient's face. The lone soldier escorted the earthbender out and the other remained to watch the new patient.</p><p>Katara finished wiping all the blood from the man's face and discovered the gash that caused it. It ran from his eyebrow to just above his ear and through his light brown hair. Shiyu watched as she patted it clean and applied the medicated ointment he made each day. They sent the man on his way.</p><p>The rules of The Arena had changed over the years that Katara worked there, thus keeping the medical office busier than ever. Before, matches had almost always been to the death. Now, a fighter could win as long as they immobilized their opponent. Death was still how many matches ended up being lost, but more and more fighters were simply knocking out their enemies or wounding them enough to give up.</p><p>She also learned if a fighter won ten matches consecutively, he was freed from fighting and allowed to live as a citizen of the city, no matter his nationality. It sounded impossible.</p><p>In her five years there, she had only seen three men who had done it. Even once they won, they were not allowed to leave the capital and return to the homes they had been taken from. Though she knew it would have been impossible for her to return home, she did not agree with the ruling. The winners could not be truly free if they couldn't go home, could they? Eitherway, the office was always busy.</p><p>Katara knew most of Shiyu's pay went into replenishing his supplies of herbs and medical necessities, since the Arena itself didn't pay for them additionally, and he needed more and more of everything lately. She had often wondered how he received the money he did, since no one ever delivered it and only once did he tell her he was paid to do his job.</p><p>She was glad he was an excellent doctor. Anytime one of the masked nobles came in needing attention after their matches, he usually got a few extra gold coins for his work.</p><p>The next couple of matches ended without incident. If a fighter was killed, the body was dragged off to the crematory and they never saw it. Katara set about washing the dirty bandages and preparing the room for the next patient. The doctor vanished up into his room. He did it often, working on a handbook he was creating for the new medic. He had been talking of retiring for the last few years, but he needed to find a replacement. His age, which Katara guessed was somewhere near sixty, was starting to catch up to him. The handbook detailed what to do in every situation he had come across. Katara did not want him to retire just yet; as gruesome as it could be, she enjoyed helping him with the injured fighters.</p><p>The door was pushed open; Katara jumped and accidently splashed dirty water onto her worn outfit. She tried her best to squeeze it out, and finally turned to guide the newest man in. She blinked.</p><p>There was something familiar about this young man. His skin was the same shade as hers, his eyes the same striking blue. The warrior stared back, just as confused to see someone like him- maybe more so then even her, in this room. Katara fought to place him in her memories. Could it be?</p><p>Her brother.</p><p>It had to be. He was beginning to look like her last memories of their father, even under the dirt and grime that covered all the warriors. After what felt like hours, the firebender pushed him towards the stone table.</p><p>"Sit down boy," he commanded. He turned to Katara. "Get the doctor."</p><p>"No need, I'm here," Shiyu called. He glanced at Katara, only now moving to wring out a towel. He sent the firebender back to the entryway and took a look. Shiyu found it weird that his assistant had not moved in to clean the boy's injuries yet, she seemed to be in a state of shock, simply staring at the young man on the table. Shiyu noted the resemblance, but made no mention of it. All the fighters from their respective nations looked the same to him. Surely Katara had treated another Water Tribe fighter before this?</p><p>He shook his head and focused. "Minor cuts and a good-sized burn on his side. I'll trust you can handle this one on your own, Katara." The doctor watched the fighter's eyes turn to his assistant with barely concealed surprise as she nodded. "I'll be in the other room if you need me." Shiyu left them, clearly in the middle of recording something important enough to merit leaving her now. Katara lifted the cool cloth in her hands and pressed it to the burn.</p><p>"Jeeesh Katara," Sokka hissed as the cloth touched his skin, "that hurts." His voice, even as it started to deepen was all she needed to comfirm it. Katara fell silent, pulling the rag back. When she finally looked up, tears filled her eyes.</p><p>"I can't believe its really you!" She threw her arms around him, dirt, blood, and all, and gave him a long hug. The boy winced, and his sister let go. She saw that he was clad in the typical fighter's clothing, a grey set of threadbare pants with no shoes. He wore a dark blue waist scarf that looked like it had seen better days.</p><p>"I was looking for you and Dad. I never knew I actually made it to you." She went back to cleaning the sand out of each cut on his arms and back, needing to pause to wipe hot tears from her cheeks. How had she not seen either of them before now? Were they both that good to never get hurt?</p><p>"Dad was worried," Sokka explained as he sat on the table. "When they took us away, he was sure GranGran and you would be separated."</p><p>"We weren't. A nobleman took us both. He wanted GranGran to watch his two children. I guess I was just a bonus at that point." Katara paused, took a breath, and added, "GranGran is gone Sokka. She... got sick."</p><p>There was a pause as the both of them remembered their grandmother. Then Katara explained further, finishing her story. "I ran away looking for you and Dad. I ended up here. Are you two still together with the village?" Sokka looked around the room, noticing the simple artwork hung on the wall and the plants in the corners. He looked to his sister, noting that the clothing she wore seemed to be in good shape, though it was worn with use. The burgundy vest and tunic was slightly too big for her, but the brown tie at her waist helped, and she had cut the loose sleeves on the darker undershirt to fall at her elbows instead of her wrists.</p><p>"A lot of our village is gone Katara. There are only five of us left now. And Dad and I won't be together for long. Some noble is buying up the fighter's contracts and trying to make a ton of money. He bought mine after watching a few of my matches, even though I was losing then. Dad isn't coming with me."</p><p>"The guards mentioned that. They said you're just moving to another set of cells. What's a contract?" She bandaged a deeper slice on his arm and pressed the cool cloth to his burn once more.</p><p>"All of us have one, even you," Sokka explained. "We watched another group of prisoners come in one day while we practiced. Somehow, the guards forgot that we weren't supposed to be let out during the process, and we watched how it happened before they herded us inside again. Every time one person was sold off, the man who bought them was handed a signed piece of paper. One for each prisoner: that's the contract. Its proof they own you." Sokka grimaced, his jaw clenching as he spoke the words. "The other warriors called them 'birth certificates' in jest but as long as someone else holds it, none of us are free."</p><p>Katara recalled when each of the benders won their freedom after their tenth match; the announcer would tear up a sheet of paper and hand the man a brand-new scroll. She wondered what Master Zu had done with hers since she ran away. Was it simply gone? Could she be free without it?</p><p>Katara wrung out the cloth and applied it a second time to Sokka's burn. The skin was red and angry, it would blister and might scar. She noticed the other injuries on her brother's body and desperately hoped this burn would not be added to the count. The water on her hands tingled as she pressed the towel flat on his skin.</p><p>And then it glowed.</p><p>"Katara?" Sokka asked, his voice a few octaves off. "What's going on?"</p><p>"I'm not sure." Within moments, the cooling light faded and the towel was dry. When she pulled it away; the burn had vanished.</p><p>Sokka grabbed her hand in shock. "Katara. You didn't tell me you were a-," he lowered his voice, "a you-know-what! And a healer too!"</p><p>"I didn't know I could do that," Katara answered in shock. She had not even thought about her bending in years. Her new job was so fully consuming that she had been able to forget about what could happen to her if she was discovered. She lowered her voice. "I mean, I knew I could bend, but not that. That's new!... Sokka, no one can know!"</p><p>"You don't think I know not to say anything?" Her brother said, his voice still lowered. He looked away for a moment, then spoke with such gravity. "There was a woman bender in the cell a few down from ours for a while. The Arena isn't a place for women. There's no way I'd ever let them find out about you." Sokka gritted his teeth as he stopped speaking, but Katara could tell he had more to say about the topic at hand. Something had happened, and she knew he didn't want to share it with her.</p><p>"What happened to her?"</p><p>Sokka debating not answering at all. "She was killed after two matches; at least we think she was. She wasn't seen again after that, though the guards looked smug about the whole incident. Usually they just ignore the deaths, they've seen so much of it and don't care what happens to us. But don't worry Katara, your secret is safe with me."</p><p>Katara nodded, looking at the fresh pink skin. "I'm going to wrap where the burn was, so it looks like it's still there. Keep this on for a few days just to be safe." She paused. "How did you know what I was doing was healing?"</p><p>"We met a healer from the north when we first arrived. He was an old man, but he still did what he could without the guards knowing when one of us came back injured. He died after a few months in his sleep." Sokka explained. "He was a good man. He helped Dad out after his first match when he came back injured."</p><p>The doctor returned to the room just as Katara tied off the knot on the bandage.</p><p>"Nice work Katara," Shiyu smiled. "This young man looks as good as new."</p><p>Sokka slid off the table and grabbed Katara's shoulder, facing her.</p><p>It was a warrior's gesture back in the Southern Water Tribe. Even as young children they learned it meant 'good luck' to those headed into battle or off to a fight. She returned it and gave him a smile before the two of them parted. Sokka was led back with the guard and escorted out. Shiyu turned to Katara when the door was shut.</p><p>"Someone you know?"</p><p>Katara hesitated, answering only after a moment's thought. "My brother. I'm glad he's still alive."</p><p>Shiyu ndded. "He must be doing well. You more than anyone should know the obstacles the warriors face, even if children don't have actual matches until they're teenagers." Katara nodded. It would be so easy to give up in the arena. Any clean cut by one's enemy would end a life simply. Yet they all chose to keep on fighting to live another day in hopes they would be free.</p><p>"I'm sure your brother will be fine," the doctor added, placing a hand on Katara's shoulder. "He seems like a strong young man."</p><p>The two of them stared at each other for a minute. Katara smiled up at him, appreciative of the kindness he always showed her, and Shiyu subconsciously understanding that the moment they just shared was not typical between people of their different social standings. He did not plan to dwell on it.</p><p>They fell back into their routine as if nothing ever happened when the next fighter was led in.</p><p>...</p><p>During the next fighting day the workload was slower then usual. The doctor suggested they watch the matches from the balcony, since the downstairs rooms did not have windows that faced inward. Katara had never been on the second level of the office. It was the doctor's personal room and study.</p><p>Once they moved up the steps, she was amazed at the amount of space there was to the single room. It made sense the more she thought about it, since the two levels had the same amount of space and this floor had less rooms in total. An open window which led out to a small balcony looking over the arena was the main feature of the room. On the other side was a set of windows to the market and buildings outside, the same view Katara woke up to except one story higher. She noticed a second set of stairs in the back corner.</p><p>"Where do the stairs go?" Katara asked. She followed Shiyu onto the balcony and immediately was drawn into the fight below.</p><p>"Down to the backdoor leading outside the stadium," the doctor explained. "When they lock up The Arena at night, I still need to leave sometimes if I'm called in to look after someone in the city who is sick or injured." Katara nodded in understanding and chastised herself for being stupid enough to believe the office only had one door. The doctor was a free man. He had a right to leave whenever he wanted.</p><p>The match ended and two new opponents came out: both were nonbenders with swords. The swordplay was fun to watch, but it almost looked choreographed. Eventually the weaker fighter yielded when the other broke his stance. They left the field without any blood being spilt. The crowd still went wild. They watched as the day went on, only being needed twice right after the break for lunch for minor injuries. She really had not had the chance to sit and watch the fighting since she came here. Every now and then she would open the door to the arena to watch one or two matches before being needed to help with a new patient, but she never had this much down time on a fighting day.</p><p>It was exciting to be able to watch a full match. Somewhere deep down, Katara knew that it could very easily be her fighting in the warriors' place for the crowds, but she never thought about it, so the connection had not been consciously made.</p><p>On days when the arena was not hosting the fighting matches and nothing else as going on inside its walls, she would accompany Shiyu to the market and replenish their supply of medicinal items. Not many venders had what they needed, so sometimes it would take all day to return victorious. Even though they were always searching for the supplies, Katara enjoyed leaving the Arena on these trips. She realized that since they always left through the main door and walked through the fighting area, that it made sense why she had not known about the back door.</p><p>Royal Caldera City was huge, even larger than what Katara could remember from when she roamed the streets years ago. The central city was laid out in a huge circle surrounding the palace. The Arena had been built on the southern side of the city, near the path that led down to the harbor. The waterbender had been unaware that the city was divided into two parts, Capital City in full and the Royal Caldara City inside the volcano until one day the two of them made the long journey down to the bazaar near the water to locate a more unusual item known for its ability to numb muscles and nerves in very small areas of the body.</p><p>The moment they reached the port and its surrounding homes and shops, Katara noticed the increase of refugees. They milled around, looking generally unhappy with their lives. Shiyu only shook his head when she asked about them and why they gathered. The Fire Lord had essentially rid the center city of them, but they simply fled down here and gathered in the slums.</p><p>Except for that one occasion, Katara never left the caldera. Slowly, she learned the area closet to the Arena, but once they moved into the maze of buildings, homes, and small markets further out she was lost. The people here seemed content with their lives, not thinking about anything other then what was to come the next day.</p><p>While the majority of the citizens in the elite city were rich, Katara did see a handful, mostly some shop owners and the freeborn servants, who did not dress in finery to walk the streets. Children would race in the walkways, weaving in and out of shoppers, pretending to be firebending soldiers chasing down the enemy. Laughter and loud voices always rang in her ears when they finished and returned home.</p><p>Even when they had nothing to go out into the market to find, Katara was never bored. They typically were out searching the shops once a week at least. When they weren't, she picked through the doctor's library of health manuals and scrolls from other nations. Very few had pictures, and even less where interesting enough to do more then glance at for a short time.</p><p>Still in the cot by the window, it was easy to select one at will and page through it if she was truely bored. The information seemed to be thrown together, each book would contradict the others; it was incredible Shiyu knew what to do at all. Though, she had never seen him pick up any books except the ones written by Fire Nation authors. She wondered if he had had a tutor to teach him these things, as Bai did with writing and etiquette.</p><p>On days when Shiyu left her in the office alone, which he seemed content to do more often, Katara enjoyed the silence. No one ever came here when the Arena was closed, and by now she knew he vanished on specific days every year. The day that the sun filled the sky the longest was when she expected not to see him at all. She wondered where he went off to on the Summer Solstice. He never took her with, and the market by her window was strangely quiet on those days. She could hear music and fireworks at night, but her corner of the world was strangely empty.</p><p>She never thought of following after him, she had other things to do to keep her occupied.</p><p>When he would leave her alone, Katara practiced her waterbending. Ever since she had healed Sokka, her interest in her seemingly forgotten ability grew. She never tried anything big, just tricks she could do with the water from the rag bucket. Without anything to go by or a master to teach her, Katara learned by trial and error. Her progress was slow, but she <em>was</em> progressing. She was always sure to give herself a wide margin of time between when the doctor left on his rounds of house calls and when she could practice. As much as he had been good to her, she was not sure he would continue if he knew her secret.</p><p>Finally, the last few fights were announced and Katara heard a familiar name. The Blue Spirit walked onto the Arena floor to face off against two benders, one earth and the other water.</p><p>Silver flashed in the Arena as the Blue Spirit drew his swords and deflected a boulder thrown his way. The way he knew to move to avoid the attacks was mesmerizing. The match ended too soon when he finally did win by setting up his opponents in such a way so that they took each other out. She cheered, noticing that she wasn't the only one.</p><p>An She cheered, noticing that she wasn't the only one.other balcony jutting out over the inner arena wall on the opposite side of the stadium wild over the win. "What's that area for?" asked Katara, pointing at the screaming band of people.</p><p>"That's where the betting takes place," the doctor explained with a sigh. Katara wondered if he had ever been there, betting on one of the fighters below. "The men who put a lot of money into their bets get to watch from there, and this kid is worth a lot with the wins he's racking up. I'm sure he's ruining plenty of people's days if they bet against him, hoping to get lucky, and I'm sure he'd have plenty of people asking him to throw matches if people knew who he was. There's plenty of speculation since he doesn't bend and is good with swords."</p><p>"Do <em>you</em> know who he is?" Katara asked eagerly. The Blue Spirit sheathed his dual swords and retreated to the shadows. Shiyu looked at Katara, trying to understand her question.</p><p>"No. He's never come to me after his fights. Even when he's been injured. So I've never spoken with him to make a guess."</p><p>"Oh."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"I want to thank him," she replied in a heartbeat. "For saving my life." Her response should not have surprised the doctor, but the purity of it caught him off guard. Such wholeheartedness was at a distinct lack in the fighting arena.</p><p>"I'm sure you'll get a chance." He nodded and repeated a quote once told to him. "These things have a habit of going full circle." She gave him a smile and turned back to the stadium to watch the last match of the day, though nothing was as exciting as the Blue Spirit.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is from "Do you Remember" by Jay Sean</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Every Change Life's Thrown At Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 6 - </strong>Every Change Life's Thrown at Me</p><p>"So much blood. What did Shiyu know? There was no other explanation, I had to be dying."</p><p> </p><p>The day preceded much like the ones before it. The crowds could be heard from the arena out the doctor's window, cheering for whom they wanted to win. He remembered the days when he had been young and stood amongst them in the stands. Of course, he had been partial to betting back then, and he was never very good at it.</p><p>That might have been the reason he enjoyed what he did so much now. There was no luck involved in his practice, everything was skill. He was not here thanks to his luck, since he did not have much; he was the arena medic purely thanks to his talent and determination.</p><p>So he did not see it as luck when the girl child he had taken in was a quick learner and a gifted doctor in the making. It mattered not to him that she was from the Water Tribe with no Fire Nation ancestry, not anymore. The girl was good at what she did. The matter of if she had previous masters no longer plagued him. If they had not come searching for her by now, they never would. Though, he would have liked to know where her contract was, just to keep everything official. He wasn't above bribbing anyone- the Fire Nation was just as good at pressing an extra coin into a palm in exchange for silence- as it was at conquering the world.</p><p>Shiyu heard Katara explain to the current patient what she was doing as she worked with him. It was something she had started on her own; he never did it himself. The men who came in did not need to know the medicine they were given, only that he was treating them. He heard her explain how the herb she was applying would kill any infection in the wound and nodded subconsciously.</p><p>She had been a quick study, after a few panicking blunders the first several times, she picked things up remarkably well. Maybe the fact she had been so young attributed to that fact.</p><p>It surprised him at first that no one had been looking for her. He knew for sure that she was not a freeborn Fire Nation citizen. Even the assumption the Blue Spirit had made had been proven false before long. The child had belonged to someone before she lived on the streets. Slowly, without meaning to, Shiyu pieced together her background. He never asked outright, but she gave him plenty of half-statements.</p><p>He knew she was from the Water Tribe, though he didn't know if it was the north or south; he couldn't tell the difference either way. She had a brother and a father who fought in the gladiator games of the Arena. And she was young. Though, he had noticed she'd finally starting filling out these past several months.</p><p>Shiyu had always thought of the earth and water tribes as not as advanced as his own people. How else would they have lost the war his great nation had almost completely won and allowed themselves to be taken prisoner to slave away here for the victors?</p><p>But working as the arena medic, his views of his own nation had fallen, strictly in terms of the absence of humanity. He felt pity for fighters, but he still didn't think they were on his own level mentally. It was not until Katara had come into her own that he realized these people were just as capable as him, if given the chance.</p><p>Finally, he realized what his nation was doing to the world. Surreptitiously listening to his assistant with her brother had been his turning point. Not that he could do anything to change things.</p><p>Shiyu heard Katara escort the fighter out the door and then call him down for lunch. The games had paused outside for a moment as the arena was readied for the bending matches.</p><p>The doctor shut his journal and cleaned the ink from his brush. With Katara taking care of the injured, he had more time to work on his book of techniques for his successor. He still needed to find someone to replace him; he was well aware of the fact that he wasn't getting any younger. Every new inch his assistance seemed to spring up he was reminded of it. He walked down the steps from his room and spotted Katara seated at the table, doubled over onto herself. Her eyes were closed tight and her arms gripped her stomach.</p><p>"Katara? Are you ok?" The girl lifted her head in surprise and moved to stand.</p><p>"I'm fine," she stuttered. Shiyu watched her struggle to straighten up as she stood, gritting her teeth.</p><p>"Sit down Katara," Shiyu instructed. The girl obeyed; her eyes held worry as she watched him move to the fire under the teapot. He recalled the last time she'd been sick. It had been a busy day for injuries, and she'd slept for three days straight in the back room sweating out a fever. It was the only time he'd been truely worried for her in the past few years. All her other illnesses had been minor in comparison, and luckily not on Arena days. </p><p>Katara spoke. "I've been drinking willow bark." Shiyu opened the teapot and nodded, seeing the truth in her statement. </p><p>"What hurts? Do you have a fever?"</p><p>The girl shook her head and looked to her lap. "My stomach feels like it's tied up in knots. But it's not all the time. The pain comes and goes." Before Shiyu could offer new advice on stomach remedies, Katara stood and hurriedly excused herself from the room. He heard the door to the bathroom close and set down the apple he had selected. When he didn't hear anymore sounds coming from the room she had vanished into, he assumed she had not vomited. He hoped she didn't have a stomach bug.</p><p>A new thought came to mind.</p><p>He ran his assistant's age through his head, counting through the years she had assisted him and her likely age when she had shown up. She'd be around the right age- if not slightly too old. But maybe there was a difference before Water Tribe girls and Fire Nation ones? He wouldn't know. But Katara didn't seem to know either. Surely she would have lied and gave him a placating excuse and avoided the conversation entirely?</p><p>He had been exposed to the topic in medical school. That lesson had been the source of jokes and other lewd notions for the several months of classes as he trained to be a medic at the Fire Nation Military Academy. The students in his medical class, being all men, were not thrilled to be learning about that undesirable side of the fairer sex. It was a short lesson, thankfully, since anything that was of use knowing they all already knew through experience or fell into the domain of midwives.</p><p>The realization sent Shiyu into his library of old health texts. He found the large book he had been looking for, pulling it from the shelf and flipping through it. The topic he was searching for was not something he was trained to handle, most men weren't. This was strictly women's stuff, except he had no one to explain this to the girl for him. He really hoped she didn't need him to explain. He appeared the door and leaned against the wall.</p><p>"Are you ok Katara?" he asked. After a second, he heard her reply.</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Katara, it's ok."</p><p>"I'm dying."</p><p>Shiyu took a calming breath; this was not going to be easy. She had no idea what was going on. "You aren't dying. This is completely natural." Shiyu waited, his finger wedged in the text on the page that he would hand over to Katara.</p><p>When she finally appeared, Shiyu guided her back to the table. He set the book down in front of her and then offered her more tea. He added an infusion of green crushed leaves that he knew would help her specific pains. She shifted in her seat, looking as physically uncomfortable as he felt. </p><p>"What's this?" Katara asked, tasting the new flavor in the tea.</p><p>"It will help. Katara, what's happening now is a part of growing up for young women. Did you ever hear your mother or other women talking about their monthlies?" Katara shook her head.</p><p>"I was still very little back in my village," Katara said. "The only thing that seems similar is Moon time. Some of the older girls would talk about that. I didn't pay them too much attention." Shiyu knew the moon hid its face on a monthly interval, and even if that was not the correct word, no one would know the difference.</p><p>"Well this 'Moon Time' happens once a month when a girl becomes a woman," Shiyu explained.</p><p>"So this will happen every month?!" Katara's face was tight with panic.</p><p>"Yes." He had nothing more to offer the girl, aside from referencing the book. "Read this section, Katara. It explains everything you'd ever want to know about your month- I mean moon times." With that, Shiyu left the room with the lunch he hastily put together. The girl peered into the book as she sipped her tea and clutched her abdomen. He knew she'd flipped through it before, so hopefully she'd already read this part and somewhat knew what to expect. Shiyu did not want to be around if she had further questions. The subject was awkward enough already. </p><p>The realm of women was still largely unexplained by men and there was no push to change that or even write down the newest studies. Those newest studies, pieced together by doctors and midwives was mostly about the creation and bearing of children, and was still not widely accepted outside of the most noble circles to be in his books even as footnote.</p><p>Shiyu sat down at his desk upstairs in his bedroom and opened his manual once more. Giving the puberty talk was definitely <em>Not</em> being added.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter Title is from the song 'Lessons Learned' by Carrie Underwood</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. This Boy's Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><strong>Chapter 7</strong>—<strong> This Boy's Fire</strong></p><p>"It was a warm fluttery feeling. It felt like hundreds of flutterbats trapped inside me, but it wasn't completely unpleasant."</p><p> </p><p>For the next two years, life went to as normal. Katara got more chances to watch the matches when Shiyu allowed her to watch from the balcony. The last year alone brought more prisoners to the Arena as the Fire Nation increased its grip on the rest of the world.</p><p>She watched a single earthbender defeat two angry tiger-oxes without breaking a sweat; a young man with two hooked swords outmaneuver a waterbender and then try to escape; even a trio of women warriors with fans put up against two benders. Katara enjoyed watching the waterbenders the most since her own training had hit a plateau. She wondered of the instruction those warriors must have received back in their villages. It wasn't from lack of time that she struggled; Shiyu was gone more often than before, leaving for extended periods on non-arena days.</p><p>The morning before the next fighting day, it was announced that all the matches would be canceled in order to hold an Agni Kai. The guards stopped at the doctor's door to explain the procedure.</p><p>"The Agni Kai will begin at the sun's peak tomorrow. You are to wear the official clothing for the match and leave the door open to the arena in case there are any injuries. This is high profile match, so make sure you represent the arena well." The guard glanced past Shiyu at Katara who hovered in the next room.</p><p>"I'll need a new set of clothing then," Shiyu explained. "The ones I was given for the last Agni Kai no longer fit."</p><p>"Your robes will be delivered tonight then," the other guard added. When the door was shut, Katara moved forward with questions. Shiyu sat down.</p><p>"What's an Agni Kai? Why are the other matches being canceled for it?" She had never heard of whatever this event was before, even when she had been with Master Zu. Bai would have surely wanted to see it if it was as entertaining as the regular matches were. Katara could only guess that the occasion was rare and they did not happen that often.</p><p>"An Agni Kai is a firebending duel. Typically, only military and royalty still practice them. This arena was specifically designed to house them hundreds of years ago when it was first built, but the duels have fallen out of fashion with the majority of the populace; it's easier to pay someone off to get your honor back then to fight them for it."</p><p>"Even with that being said, the whole city will probably fill the stands tomorrow to watch. There hasn't been a public one in almost six years. It actually took place a few months before you starting helping me here."</p><p>"Oh," Katara replied. "Do they fight to the death? Will you even be needed for the match then?"</p><p>"They <em>can</em> kill each other, it hasn't happened in my lifetime, but it isn't unheard of if one of the duelists loses control. Most fights end in bad burns, as is the nature of firebending, and losing one of the duelists would most likely upset some form of political power somewhere." Shiyu waved his hand noncommittedly. "So we will probably be assisting the duelers after the match."</p><p>"Who's fighting?"</p><p>"I don't know. We find out with everyone else tomorrow when they announce it."</p><p>"Who fought during the last one? You said only nobility and royalty fight-?"</p><p>"And high-ranking military typically. One of the duelists typically does something that throws the other's honor into question." Katara tilted her head in confusion, so Shiyu explained further. Katara had no concept of this elevated honor that the Fire Nation elites seemed to live by. She lived day-to-day, caring for other people's wellbeing.</p><p>"Maybe one of them speaks out of turn or ruins the other's reputation in a political affair. It truly could be anything." Shiyu explained. "The last Agni Kai here was between two noblemen about a woman or some other nonsense. Though, I feel they only wanted the audience to appease their egos. It was a lackluster fight. Though at least they both attempted to fight."</p><p>"Why would they hold an Agni Kai if the fighters don't fight?" Katara asked. Wasn't facing each other the point?</p><p>Shiyu pressed his lips shut, deciding how to continue. He started with a deep breath. "Sometimes- things are not as they appear. The only time I've known someone to try and back out of the dual was a few years ago actually."</p><p>"But there wasn't anything-"</p><p>"It wasn't made public like this one will be. It was held at the palace between two of the princes. I don't know the details surrounding what transpired, but the event was a somber occasion. Even though only select people were in attendance, rumors seem to have spread and the outcome was hard to hide. Though it seems nothing too bad came of it, outside of the injuries." Katara nodded, still not completly understanding even as Shiyu got up and moved around the room to go over the supplies they would need for the next day.</p><p>The robes arrived later that evening by the same guard. He knocked on the door and passed them carefully to Shiyu, telling him they were his to alter as he saw fit. Katara lifted the silk robe from his arms and discovered a second set, made small enough to fit her lithe frame. Shiyu chuckled at the surprise on her face.</p><p>"Alright Katara," he said. "We only have twelve hours to get these to fit." She laughed and began her alterations.</p><p>Shiyu's robes were too long. He was a short man and his pants dragged on the ground when he first put them on. Katara could easily see over his head when she stood up straight; absentmindedly she wondered when she had grown tall enough to do so. His tunic and undershirt were slightly large, but that fix was easy enough.</p><p>Katara had much more work to do on her own set. She could not work in baggy clothing and the outfit was obviously designed for a man. Hours before the sun rose, she finally finished the garment just the way she wanted it. Her sleeves were shortened to above her elbows, the robes cut off at her calves. The tunic fit snug against her torso following the curve of her hips and waist. She hand stitched shut the top so she did not need to constantly keep tightening it in fear it would gape open if she bent over too far to pick something up.</p><p> </p><p>She slept until the noise in the arena woke her. Shiyu must have let her sleep in.</p><p>The announcer called out to the stands that the duel would begin shortly. He explained the duelists would be Admiral Zhao and Prince Zuko.</p><p>Katara watched from the window in Shiyu's second story room, not daring to step out onto the balcony, just in case her public presence might put Shiyu's job in jeopardy somehow. He had not told her she couldn't go outside, but he had not explained much about today's proceedings either. The doctor watched from the open doorway on ground level. She heard the crowd call out chastisements when the youngest prince's name was called. She did not know why his own people would not cheer for him. Even if the boy had done something to be worthy of their jeers, his people should still support him. Her own village would never do anything so cruel. Insults were given yes, but not when the person needed their village's support to learn right from wrong.</p><p>Katara knew nothing of the rulers of the Fire Nation. All she was aware of was that the Fire Lord was called Azulon, and he was currently on his last leg. According to Shiyu, there was more than one prince, but she did not know who they were. No one had told her anything else, and she had not bothered to ask. Never leaving the office, it did not matter to her who the royals were.</p><p>As the two men walked onto the platform, the stadium fell completely silent. It was eerie. The first blast was thrown by the Admiral, which caught the young prince off guard. He looked about her age. The boy attacked with a barrage of fire blasts from his fists. The Admiral avoided them easily.</p><p>Looking up, Katara saw the shadowed booth surrounded by guards where she was told the Fire Lord and his guests watched from. It was higher than the betting balcony and slightly more towards the northern edge of the stadium.</p><p>In the guarded section she saw two sets of people. The front row seemed to move with action, flinching and leaning forward over the railing with each attack, but out of the public eye she could make out more people. They all looked on stoically, no one seemed to move from where Katara could see. She assumed they were made up of the Fire Lord and his family.</p><p>Flashes of fire drew her back to the match. The two benders circled for a moment, sizing the other up. The prince attacked, but he was pushed backwards as Zhao countered. It appeared that the Admiral would win until the prince dropped into a crouch and spun. The flames from his feet surprised his older opponent and he stumbled backwards. Zuko jumped back to his feet and shot more flames in his direction. It wasn't possible to avoid all the fireballs.</p><p>Zhao ducked and twisted to avoid being hit in the face and moved straight into the path of one headed for his knees. The crowd made a sound of pain as the fire seared through the fabric instantly. Zuko charged forward to take advantage of Zhao's disorientation but moved too late. Even Katara caught his moment of hesitation.</p><p>The Admiral recovered quicker than the prince had assumed and punched a flaming fist directly at the boy's face. Zuko twisted slightly to avoid it and received a burning fist to the shoulder instead. He winced, falling backwards, clutching his shoulder. Zhao shot more flames at him, but Zuko rolled and sprang to his feet with renewed energy.</p><p>The Arena did not host many firebending matches. The only time she got to see the local bending form was if a masked noble showed off his ability. As different as it was to the waterbending, Katara enjoyed watching these benders. It seemed to require a different mindset to firebend. Waterbending appeared to be concentration and finesse, whereas firebending looked more to be about anger and power. Either way, the fighting style was interesting to watch, especially when there was no fear of being burned.</p><p>Blast after blast of hungry flames forced Zhao backwards until he stumbled. Zuko moved in, waited a moment, and blasted a highly concentrated ball of fire at what Katara assumed was the man's forehead. She could not be sure since the Prince stood in her line of sight as he attacked. The audience cheered and Zuko stood triumphant as the winner.</p><p>The doctor called to her from below. "Katara, are you ready?" The girl called back that she was and hurried down the steps to prepare the cool water and towels for treating burns. She listened to the crowd's applause die down and saw two figures approach the office.</p><p>"I'm fine Uncle," the prince said, even as he shielded his burned skin with his opposite hand. "The burn isn't that bad."</p><p>"Now Prince Zuko," the older man stated. "You need to get it looked at while it's still new."</p><p>The prince said nothing, turning away from him. The doctor welcomed the two of them inside.</p><p>"Excellent match your highness. Please come in and sit down, my assistant and I will look after you." The prince moved towards the table where Katara stood folding clean bandages. She bowed to him just as Shiyu had done then lifted her eyes to his own and told him to take a seat on the table. The boy did as he was told, glancing at the doctor.</p><p>The old man who had accompanied the prince inside chuckled. "Shiyu, when did you get this lovely young assistant?"</p><p>Shiyu smiled. "A while back. She's been very helpful around here." Katara mirrored his smile to herself as she examined the angry burn on the prince's bare chest. Like most of the prisoners of The Arena, he only wore a set of pants tied around his hips. Unlike them, his pants were made of red silk and were also tied at his ankles, she assumed it was so they would not get in the way of his firebending.</p><p>It was different standing before a young man her own age. Most of the men she worked with were older or losing their will to live. This man was full of life. She was used to keeping a highly professional air to herself; she had seen hundreds of men by now, all without shirts to cover their muscled chests. Even her brother had been dressed the same way.</p><p>She figured it was just because he was so close in age to her, not the fact that he was attractive, that had her feeling nervous. She looked away from his injury, peering up to his face. She noted the scar, obvious against his pale skin. When his eyes fell on her, she glanced away quickly. Shiyu seemed to trust her to handle the simple task as he joked with the older man. Their casual conversation made Katara question if somehow Shiyu knew the young prince's uncle somehow.</p><p>"So how did Prince Zuko do today, Iroh?" Shiyu asked. "Has he been taking your advice while you've been gone?"</p><p>"Today's match was far better than the last one. Zuko remembered his forms and only made that one mistake."</p><p>"I underestimated him Uncle," Zuko admitted from his seat on the stone table with a frown. "It won't happen again." His uncle laughed. Wringing the cool cloth out, Katara placed it over the burn. Zuko shifted, the skin was tender, and he hissed in discomfort.</p><p>"Now Zuko, let the young woman do her job without moving too much."</p><p>"No, it's alright," Katara stated, "I'm sorry." She bowed her head as she spoke hurriedly before turning back to the burn. Shiyu moved closer to oversee the procedure. He nodded and returned to where Prince Iroh sat nearby.</p><p>One could tell the burn on his shoulder had been caused by a fist. Where each knuckle had made contact, the burn was darker, more severe. The print was grotesquely perfect. The rest of his chest was flawless though, Katara hoped her work would be enough to keep it from leaving a scar like the one that covered half his face. She looked again at the burned skin on his face quickly. It was enough to make her shiver at the thought of how he must have gotten it.</p><p>She had not neglected to notice the unmarred side though. Even with the burn, the boy before her was quite attractive, and the feelings of attraction were not something she was used to feeling.</p><p>Katara applied slight pressure to the burn and felt the prince tense under her hands.</p><p>"Sorry," she winced again. The prince watched her, obviously bored with the older men's conversation; she refused to look away from the burn in fear her face was as red as his injury. Her mind raced as she turned over her thoughts, keeping them from straying too far into truly unknown territory. She dared not glance up again.</p><p>Feeling his eyes on her made her more nervous than she had ever been while healing a patient. Instead of worrying too much, she thought to why her patients seemed to love watching her work. She did not see anything exciting about what she did; well, nothing she did to the fighters. Healing on the other hand, that was interesting to watch, which gave her an idea. When he finally looked away to listen to something his uncle was saying, Katara took her chance.</p><p>She grabbed the bowl of burn ointment and lowered the towel. Dabbing with two fingers, Katara applied the medicated salve slowly. She focused on the moisture in the medicine. The practice she had gotten with healing was minimal, but she was determined to not let this young man suffer another scar. The one covering his face was enough to make her feel sorry for him. That, and the fact that the butterflies in her stomach thought it was a good idea to keep her hands on his chest.</p><p>Ever since Katara found out about her healing abilities with her brother, she had practiced them to exhaustion. But to be able to get more experience, she needed to work with injuries that were not on the warriors who would turn her in to the guards.</p><p>The first time was the hardest, holding her hand over a flame on the writing desk in her makeshift room until it burned was almost impossible. She cried out when she finally managed it. Shiyu rushed into the room, but Katara laughed it off, tears still in her eyes, saying she had only gotten too close to the candle. She waved him away and struggled to heal the burn the way she had healed her brother.</p><p>It took many weeks of constant practice before she got a hold on basic healing to discover how to keep the water from glowing so it would not give her away. It was more work, but finally the water yielded to her urging and stayed its normal transparent color. It had yet to give her away.</p><p>Zuko jumped when Katara was only halfway done with covering the burn with the ointment, secretly healing it with her bending.</p><p>"The tingling is normal," Katara explained, "hold still now, I'm almost done." The ointment itself was just a mix of gentle herbs to nourish the skin and cool the heat from the burn. It had no special healing properties otherwise. By itself, the rub could not make the redness or swelling fade and it certainly did not cause tingling as Katara explained to the few she used it on, practicing. That was her water bending. But no one needed to know the difference.</p><p>She focused once more and finished covering the burn with the medicated lotion. It was an olive-green colored paste with chunks of ground up herbs suspended within it. Her heart hammered when she lifted her fingers away. The burn was noticeably lighter, the shape of the fist which formed it blurred to a simple patch of discolored skin. Katara moved to wrap it in fresh cloth, but the prince's uncle noticed the nearly healed injury.</p><p>"Shiyu! Your assistant is amazing!" Katara flushed red and wrapped the wound with shaking hands.</p><p>"It's just the ointment," Katara lied, "it brings down the redness. The area is still tender." She turned back to Zuko to tie off the bandage. "Did you have any other injuries?" The boy shook his head 'no' and moved to get off the table.</p><p>"You've found yourself a keeper Shiyu," Prince Iroh smiled. "She's just as good as you." The two men laughed and Iroh clapped Zuko on the back. The door to the office swung open, cutting all their elated moods short.</p><p>"Where's the doctor?" called a booming voice. "I have a burn that needs healing."</p><p>"Admiral Zhao, it's customary that the loser wait until the winner leaves with a clean bill of health before he enters," Iroh frowned.</p><p>The Admiral snarled. "Yes well, I have places to be, unlike like you two." He looked to Shiyu and then over to Zuko and Katara. His eyes rested on her for a moment too long. Shiyu noticed and called to her.</p><p>"Katara," Shiyu stated as he led the new man inside and over to the table, "please escort the Princes out while I look after the Admiral's injury."</p><p>"Oh no doctor," Zhao said, suddenly completely respectful with his tone. "I'm not <em>that</em> injured to steal you away from your royal guests. Your assistant can tend to me just fine."</p><p>Katara fought her body's urging to take a step back. instead she met the Admiral's eyes. She saw the flames within them, something she had yet to see on any man's face she worked with, even the other firebenders. Somehow, she knew it had nothing to do with his ability to control fire. It wasn't the distanced interest that Zuko had shown, this was different, and not pleasant.</p><p>"As you wish Admiral." Shiyu walked Iroh and Zuko out, explaining the proper care of the newly treated burn for next few days. She heard him explain they were welcome to return if there were any issues with the healing skin.</p><p>Katara swallowed her nerves and led Zhao to the exam table. "If you'll just sit there. I can take care of your burn." The Admiral followed her orders and watched as she rolled up his pant leg nearly all the way to his hip. The burned silk where the flames made contact was not nearly as bad as she expected it to be. The fabric had browned but not burned through like she thought.</p><p>He grinned. "Did you enjoy the match, my dear." Katara paused, realized she had not asked him where he was injured since it was not originally visible and mentally hit herself. This man made her nervous. She nodded in silent response to his question.</p><p>"Your burn isn't that bad, it should heal quickly," she explained as she pressed a cool towel to his thigh just above his knee.</p><p>"How was the princes' injury?" Admiral Zhao laughed.</p><p>Katara picked her words carefully. "It was worse than this one, but it will heal."</p><p>"Almost finished Katara?" Shiyu called as he trotted back into the room. It seemed he didn't want to leave her alone with the Admiral as much as she did not want to be alone.</p><p>"She was just complimenting my firebending," Zhao stated. After a pause, "where did you get this one, doctor?"</p><p>"She was gift." He took the towel from Katara as she grabbed the ointment. He was about to take that from her as well but Zhao noticed.</p><p>"Let her finish," he snapped with narrowed eyes. "She's doing a wonderful job." Katara noticed Shiyu looked as if he wanted to say something, but he held his tongue. She wondered why. Though she knew nothing of rank, she had assumed that Shiyu was well respected and had a decent status here in the capital. Nothing had ever proved her wrong until now.</p><p>The political hierarchy was next to nothing in her own village; here it was too complicated to even try to keep up with. Dipping her fingers in the cool salve, she applied it to the burn with smooth strokes. Even without her bending, the ointment would help his burned skin. It just had more of a chance at scaring and healed more slowly. Zhao watched her, his interest growing by the moment.</p><p>"Where is she from?" Zhao asked. Katara bit her lip. Not only did the Admiral not seem to understand that he would not get healed any faster by talking, but he spoke as if she was not even there. It was a different feeling, one that Katara was not so sure that she liked. She had been spoiled obviously, living with Master Zu at first and then Shiyu; both men had treated her fairly, from what she could remember at least. She was already sick of Zhao speaking over her.</p><p>"I'm from the Southern Water Tribe," she stated, looking up at him while setting down the bowl with a little too much force. She had never needed to hold her tongue before, especially not when she was upset, which happened very little.</p><p>The Admiral grinned even while his eyes rose in surprise, he did not expect to find fire in a prisoner-servant. Shiyu hesitated in answering the question; they had never talked about where she was from or her past in general. He didn't want to answer and be wrong.</p><p>"Have you been here long, Katara?" Zhao asked. The way her name rolled off the man's tongue sent a chill down her spine. She was playing with fire; that much she knew.</p><p>"About ten years." She finished tying on the bandage and unrolled his pant so it covered his leg once more. The darkened silk shimmered.</p><p>"Now, to heal correctly-" Shiyu began, but Zhao tuned the old man out as he was practically dragged out the door. Katara looked up, noticing that Zhao watched her instead. She put everything away and Shiyu came back inside after a few minutes.</p><p>"Good work Katara. You did well today." She nodded, smiling with his praise.</p><p>Shiyu wrung his hands, an uncharacteristic motion for him. "Though, we might not be able to keep you such a secret anymore, now that Zhao knows."</p><p>"You were keeping me a secret?" She was not angry, just confused. So many people knew she was here.</p><p>Shiyu nodded. "Only from the ones who would be most interested in taking a young woman off my hands on the way out." Katara froze in place when she realized who he was referring to. "I said no of course. But that man will need a lot more than a 'no' to get him to leave you alone." Katara was silent. She did not like the way the Admiral watched her. It was like he had a hunger in his gaze, and she wasn't quite sure she liked the sound of leaving Shiyu. She needed a change of subject.</p><p>"The prince who fought today-"</p><p>"Prince Zuko."</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"You might want to keep their names straight. There are four princes at the moment," Shiyu said. "Prince Zuko is the youngest of them."</p><p>"Four? He has three older brothers?"</p><p>"No," Shiyu said. "Fire Lord Azulon had two sons and hasn't passed on the throne yet, so both of them are still given the title prince, along with their own sons."</p><p>"Oh," Katara nodded. How confusing to have everyone no matter their relation referred to as prince. She moved on with her original question. "How did Prince Zuko get the scar on his face?"</p><p>"He was one of the princes who fought in the private Agni Kai I mentioned," Shiyu explained with a sigh and a dropped gaze. "He took a fire blast to the face and I did the best I could. I wasn't as talented as you are with burns and my medicated ointment was nowhere near perfected like it is now. Speaking of which, I didn't add anti-inflammatory herbs to the mix-"</p><p>Katara bowed her head to hide her lie "I did. I'm sorry; I thought it would be a good idea since we were dealing solely with burns today."</p><p>"It was an excellent idea. No need to be sorry; you probably saved the young prince from another scar." He patted her on the back and walked up the steps to his room.</p><p>"Shiyu," Katara asked, recalling something else. "Why was the prince with his uncle today? Why wasn't his father-?"</p><p>"Prince Ozai, his father, was the one Prince Zuko fought his first Agni Kai against. His father gave him the scar he wears and publicly declared he wanted nothing more to do with his son's firebending instruction. Iroh took over in his stead." Katara nodded. A dual between father and son; no wonder they kept it private and out of the Arena.</p><p>"Do you know Prince Iroh well? You speak of him so familiarly."</p><p>"I meet him many years ago when I was training in medicine at the academy. I was selected to accompany him on a journey to slay a dragon as his medic. He didn't need my abilities then, which was probably a good thing since I was still mostly untrained, but we found we had much in common. With this war still being fought and him leading the advances as general, I haven't seen him much." She nodded and let Shiyu retreat upstairs to his bedroom. Katara collapsed on her cot, glad the day was over.</p><p>...</p><p>Two days later, Katara awoke to voices speaking in the front room. Curious as to what was going on, she changed and walked towards the conversation. Before she entered the room, she recognized the voice and stood stone still, still hidden.</p><p>"I'm not selling her."</p><p>"I'll give you more than then you'll know what to do with," Zhao growled.</p><p>Shiyu's voice hardened. "Admiral. I'm not selling her. There is nothing you can give me that I want enough to give her up. Now, if you would please leave my office."</p><p>"I'll find something to make you give her to me." Katara heard the door close and stepped into sight. Shiyu jumped.</p><p>"Oh Katara. I didn't know you were up. Will you start some tea?"</p><p>"Any particular kind?" She set the old teapot that they typically used for boiling water for medical instruments on the burner and lit the coals with a pair of spark rocks.</p><p>"Jasmine please." Shiyu sighed as he sat down at the short table in the front room. Katara set up the tea once the water came to a boil and brought out the never used set of teacups.</p><p>There was a knock at the door and Shiyu waved Katara away from answering it. The more she thought about it, it made sense. Shiyu would never ask for tea if there was no reason; Shiyu hated tea. He had been expecting someone.</p><p>"Come in," the doctor called. As Katara turned and set down the teapot, she recognized their guest. The old man who had accompanied Prince Zuko walked in and greeted Shiyu. She immediately picked up the teapot.</p><p>Originally, she intended to leave it out for Shiyu and his guest to serve themselves. But she realized that Prince Zuko's uncle was also royalty, as Shiyu had explained before, and thus probably was not used to pouring his own tea. The doctor bowed and they both sat, waiting for Katara to put the kettle on the table.</p><p>Katara knelt with the teapot in her hands, and she poured out the cups of tea for Shiyu and Iroh just as she'd been taught to do when she and Bai played tea party. Holding the first cup with her right hand and the pot in her left, Katara moved around the table, serving each man on his right side. Iroh's cup was poured first since he was the guest and then Shiyu's after his.</p><p>The doctor struggled to contain his amazement. Iroh's attention was divided between Shiyu's shocked expression and Katara's movements and proper hand placement. She was slightly hesitant, but it seemed she knew what she was doing.</p><p>Shiyu hated tea, so she had never needed to make any for him. She made it for herself at night, but that hardly required any ceremony. It wasn't too much to remember, though Bai's teacher had spoken of using sliced lemons or honey in the tea as well, something he had explained needed to be on the table when tea was presented.</p><p>"Thank you," Iroh nodded as he accepted his tea. Shiyu could only stare as he took the cup into his hands.</p><p>"Where did you learn to serve tea?" Iroh asked before he took a sip. "It obviously wasn't from Shiyu." He chuckled and eyed the other man.</p><p>"My old master had a tutor for his daughter. I learned through her." Iroh nodded his head and took a sip. He settled deeper into his cushion and Katara took her leave. Once she vanished from the main room, the two men began talking. If she had not heard her name, Katara would have given the men their privacy.</p><p>Shiyu's voice betrayed his worry. "Admiral Zhao asked after Katara again, just before you showed up today. I'm worried he'll do something rash to get me to sell her. He's come multiple times."</p><p>"Are you planning on giving in to Zhao? If you are, I beg you to reconsider. Besides, I can double his price. Any young woman who can serve tea is worth it." He finished off the cup.</p><p>"I'm not planning on giving her up. Not to anyone. She's too useful to me here."</p><p>"Understandable." Iroh nodded, "but if you ever end u-"</p><p>"Iroh."</p><p>The eldest Prince poured himself another cup.</p><p>Iroh changed the subject. "Have you found an apprentice yet?" Stepping away from the door and settling herself on her cot with a book from Shiyu's library, she tried not to eavesdrop. It was impossible, the rooms were too close.</p><p>"Not yet. I've met with several young men over the last month, but even with the manuals I'm leaving, none of them seem qualified enough. They would need to spend at least a year learning under me, and I'm not sure that would even begin to cover things."</p><p>"You just need to pick one. Lu Ten thinks you'll work yourself to death soon, even with the help you have. Though, he's said the same thing about me!"</p><p>"I'll look into it further," Shiyu agreed. He took the smallest sip of tea he could and moved on in the conversation.</p><p>He lowered his voice. "Speaking of working yourself to death, how is Fire Lord Azulon faring these days? With the way the war is dragging on-"</p><p>"It's not a secret my father is getting older," Iroh noted. "That was why he called Lu Ten and I back from the front and our siege on Ba Sing Se last year after spending the last four away from home. He was sick and took his time recovering. Everything is ready for the crown to pass."</p><p>"And you'll finish the war and we'll finally be done with this mess?" Shiyu asked. Iroh didn't say anything in response. Katara finally dug deeper into her book and tuned them out completely.</p><p>...</p><p>The next two months passed in a flurry of activity. Katara treated her first female patient, one of the women warriors who fought with fans. Her wounds were from the single sabertooth moose-lion that the Arena held. Deep gashes had been cut into her chest and back. Katara was happy to be there to assist her since she seemed highly distrustful of Shiyu when he offered to stitch up her biggest gash.</p><p>Katara worked her healing into more and more patients as she become skilled with her secretive process. News of the magic ointment spread through the prisoners. Katara realized she may have been doing too well of a job at that point when they asked for it when they suffered from ailments that had nothing to do with burns.</p><p>But new prisoners and healing medicines was the last thing on her mind when the gifts for Shiyu began arriving. At first, the boxes of medical supplies and new robes were appreciated. The Fire Nation's entertainment budget did not allocate them much, especially for two of them.</p><p>When the gifts became too outrageous though, Shiyu sent the gifter a message. The gifts needed to stop. He made sure Zhoa knew he had someone else who could match any price he offered. Shiyu hoped that this would end Zhao's obsession with Katara.</p><p>He didn't know he could be more wrong.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The chapter title is from 'This boy's fire' by Jennifer Lopez ft Santana</p><p>**Enjoy the double post :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. When Everything was Falling Apart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the delay!<br/>Chapter Warnings: Assualt</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
    <strong>Chapter 8 – When Everything was Falling Apart</strong>
</p><p>"Somehow, in the back of my mind I knew the water was there, waiting for me to call to it. It seemed eager to respond when I finally did."</p><p>The summer night was warmer then usual after a severe burst of rain that morning, so all the windows had been left open to keep the office. Katara snuggled into her bed, the single sheet draped over her body as she slept. The sheer curtains for the window above her bed did not move. The night was silent and still.</p><p>She was there alone; Shiyu had left hours ago. He did not usually tell her where he was going, just that he was going out and when he would be back. It was not that late, but Katara decided to turn in early for the night. There was no need to wait up for him. She had blown out the candles in her bedroom-library not long ago.</p><p>It had been six months since the Agni Kai and two months since Shiyu had stopped receiving gifts to convince him to give up Katara. It seemed it was too good to be true that Admiral Zhao had up and forgotten about the whole incident.</p><p>It was. With no sign of anyone awake, the thief invaded the building quickly.</p><p>He entered through the window above Katara's bed, the only one at ground level, and immediately spotted her. The man jumped inside the room and hesitated. He had no qualms about his mission; he was being paid a handsome fee.</p><p>Looking down at the girl, he did not understand why his employer was willing to risk the repercussions of stealing her away from her master if caught. She was exotic and had a small figure, he'd admit that, but he figured the client wanted more than just physical looks. The prisoners the Fire Nation captured, once sold to its own citizens were the same as physical goods in the matter of the law. The price for stealing them was a hefty fine with a chance of time in jail. He doubted any of them had the money to bribe their way out of jail.</p><p>Outside, the two guards which patrolled The Arena's perimeter passed by. The part of the market that this window faced was empty, so he would need to be quick to pass the sentries unseen.</p><p>There never had been a prison break from The Arena, so he doubted the guards would even know what to do if they encountered someone who needed to be stopped. He would not try his luck that night.</p><p>Once the guards were out of sight, the thief began his task. In a swift movement, he scooped the sleeping girl up, wrapping the sheet she slept on around her as tight as he could manage to keep her from flailing. She woke up instantly, struggling against his hold in a panic. The man swung her over his brawny shoulder and struggled to leave through the window in which he entered. He got through, but not before Katara managed to accidently kick at the curtain rod, sending it to the floor along with the sheer curtains and knocking a set of unlit but still warm candles from the windowsill.</p><p>Inside the sheet, Katara tried her best to thrash free from her captor's hold. She was wrapped like a baby in the blanket, which made her struggle difficult. She couldn't free her arms and her face was covered so she couldn't see where she was being taken or who she was up against. Her heartbeat raced and she screamed for help. Before she could get two words out a hand clasped over the blanket over her mouth. Bouncing hard against his shoulder, Katara continued to struggle as the man who carried her ran through the dark streets.</p><p>She knew not where he was taking her or why she had been stolen. The man kept running, his foot falls hardly echoing on the stone streets. Every now and then a lantern allowed Katara to see through her blanket, but just as quickly as it would appear her view went dark again.</p><p>Seeing the city did not help; she never ventured too far away from the arena with Shiyu before, and she only knew the layout during the daytime. The shops they frequented were fairly close in one single direction. If she escaped her captor, she would be lost.</p><p>The man slowed to a stop, climbed up three steps, and banged on what sounded like a wooden door. She tried again to get out of his grip, but he just held on tighter. The door opened.</p><p>A raspy woman's voice croaked. "You got her? Hurry and take her inside."</p><p>Katara was thrown down against the wall and the door was shut. She fought against her blanket, tucked and swaddled, until she found the end, freeing her head. She managed to unwind the blanket from her arms before looking up at the people around her, staring.</p><p>Above her stood two men and a woman in her late sixties who dressed like she thought she was thirty and half her size. Katara assumed one of them was the man who had kidnapped her. They were all Fire Nation civilians whom she had never seen. The room around her was decently spacious, though they had chosen to put her in a corner and stand around her, blocking much of the view. There were no windows that she could see, just a long low table with plenty of seating with very plush cushions set around it. The room was stuffy.</p><p>"What do you want?" asked Katara. She untangled her feet from the sheet and pressed herself up against the wall. The shift she wore to bed was decently threadbare, leaving her feeling exposed under their gazes. If she was wearing her bindings under the fabric, she would not have cared. At least she had on a pair of pants, though they were originally hemmed to fall at her knees and had frayed like mad over the years. The woman ignored her and spoke to the men.</p><p>"I wish I had discovered this one first. The customers would go crazy over her."</p><p>"You can still tell him no and just keep her," the man who Katara assumed was not the kidnapper said. He had yet to take his eyes off her body. Katara pulled the sheet up to her neck, putting another layer between them. She pulled her knees closer to her chest.</p><p>The woman hissed her reply. "I got paid up front. She's off limits."</p><p>"Please," Katara asked, "why am I here?"</p><p>"Take her upstairs," the old woman ordered, ignoring her question. "I don't want anyone here seeing her and asking questions- or getting excited." The two men grabbed Katara's arms and lifted her, kicking and screaming, up to the second floor. Her screams were cut short when a hand was pressed to her mouth.</p><p>The steps squeaked under their combined weight. The building was old, though fairly large. If she had been thinking straight, she might have wondered what the building was used for. But she just wanted to leave. They passed two doors on the left and paused. Katara was tossed into the next room and the door was locked from the outside. Recovering from being thrown to the ground, she jumped to her feet and tried the doorknob.</p><p>She pounded on the door with all her might. "Let me out! I want to go home! Tell me-" Hearing the door unlatch, she jumped back when one of the guards filled the threshold.</p><p>"Keep it down girl. Or I'll have to make you stay quiet myself." Katara backed away from him and tumbled onto the large bed in the room with a surprised yelp. She glared daggers at the man until the other one appeared.</p><p>"She wants her secured," the new man said. He handed a set of what looked like red silk scarves to his partner. The two of them overpowered Katara easily, pinning her to the bed, and tied her hands behind her back as she screamed and called out for help.</p><p>"Why did you grab ribbons?" The first man grunted, Katara did not care to keep them straight anymore. He received a kick to the shin before he could secure her feet. "Didn't we have any real rope?"</p><p>"The girls complained about rope burn," came the reply. He tied the last ribbon around Katara's mouth in a makeshift gag to keep her quiet. "So the madam got these ribbons instead. She said something about it being more stimulating for the girls." Katara squirmed on the bed, pulling at her bounds once they were complete, trying to get free. The men watched her for a moment, as if to see if she could wiggle herself out of their handiwork.</p><p>"I wonder how he'll feel when he learns he won't be in his usual room?"</p><p>"It shouldn't matter. This setup should make him feel like the conquering hero he thinks he is." </p><p>Katara watched the two men leave the room before her vision blurred with tears. She couldn't help it; she was terrified. She heard the lock click. Their conversation made no sense to her, so she did not bother trying to decipher it.</p><p>It took several minutes and many slow deep breathes until she had calmed herself out of initial shock. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that crying and panicking would get her nowhere; though, calming down was harder than her mind made it seem.</p><p>She heard a woman's voice talking as she passed the room and a man's throaty voice answer. Katara knew it wasn't the old crone or one of the men she had encountered earlier, these voices sounded too different. The floorboards outside groaned as the voices were cut off with the sound of a door shutting. The waterbender eased herself onto her side and tucked her legs behind her to try and ease the knots free. As she worked, Katara surveyed the room she was in.</p><p>The room was lit by candlelight in several locations, illuminating the decor. It should have made her think of being back in the Water Tribes, but everything was off from what she remembered. It was strange.</p><p>There were no windows, the only way in was the door she had been pushed through. The bed was covered in a thick pelt from an old polarbear-dog, but the pillows were brown colored Fire Nation silk. A pair of caribou-camel antlers hung over the bed. The dual night tables, which held perfectly molded half burned candles, were made of wicker but painted to look like ice. Chipping paint ruined the illusion.</p><p>A single item which appeared to be a chest of drawers with only a single drawer at the top sat near the door. It was obviously made of wood and painted ash grey, though she has no idea what it was. Even the paint on the walls added to the facade as it was designed to look like the inside of an igloo hut with bone struts to support it.</p><p>The waterbender was not sure if she wanted to cry or laugh at the terrible decorations which sought to imitate her homeland- which she almost no longer remembered. She did have a chance to wonder why they were here in the first place as she worked the ribbons free from her feet.</p><p>Somewhere down the hall she heard quick rhythmic banging, like a bed hitting a wall. It was gone as soon as it began. She wondered if other people were here, trapped as she was. She sighed and bashed her foot on the footboard of the bed, another thing she would have never found in the Southern Water Tribe. She cried out in pain, cursing herself for not paying attention.</p><p>The moment the pain was bearable, which took longer than she felt was necessary, she slid her feet off the bed she heard someone brush against the door. She wondered how long she had been trapped here already. The knots had been difficult to pull lose, and her fingers truly hurt from trying to pry the silky ribbons free from each other. It could very well have been an hour, but she was not completely sure.</p><p>Katara called out to the person on the other side, but her words were muffled. If whoever it was could just open the door and help her, she'd be happy. There was a pause, in it she heard another woman call out in a room down the hall. She sounded more excited- for lack of a better word, then fearful to Katara.</p><p>Forgetting the other sounds in the building, Katara hurried to the door now that her legs were untied and gave it a shove with her shoulder, still trying to tell the person on the other side that she needed help. The knock- a true knock, was repeated, though Katara noticed it was faster this time. She turned her back to the door and tried to turn the knob with her hands. The lock caught, keeping the door from opening. She growled in frustration and stepped back.</p><p>The person must have grabbed the knob from the other end, because Katara watched it turn, again to no avail. She was about to try her luck at kicking it when she heard the sound of a sword being drawn. Katara backed up, not sure what to expect. The thought of the person outside having a weapon pulled her back to reality and she wondered if it was a such a good idea that they were trying to get in while she was still bound.</p><p>Too late now.</p><p>The sword clanged on the other side of the door and the doorknob on her side was pushed through. It tumbled onto the floor and the door was pushed opened very slightly to allow for room to peer inside. Katara froze.</p><p>The door was thrown open then and shut just as quickly as the man hurried inside. Katara tried to speak, but the ribbon in her mouth got in the way. The Blue Spirit put a finger to his masked lips and Katara stopped struggling. He stared at her for the longest time before motioning for her to turn around. She did as he bid and he untied the knots on the ribbons still binding her wrists and mouth with ease. Once she was free, he took her hand and pulled her to the door.</p><p>The coast seemed to be clear since he guided her down the hallway. She heard other groans, furniture moving, and low conversations. She would have asked him if the other people here needed help too, but he seemed to be wholly focused on getting her away.</p><p>They paused, Katara following him like a shadow, as they snuck down the stairs in single file. The steps did not make a sound as either of them crossed their planks. In a nearby room Katara heard the voice of the old woman and one of the men. She felt fear threaten to lace her veins with ice. The Blue Spirit noticed her hesitation and pulled at her wrist to keep her moving.</p><p>They snuck under the half wall dividing them from the old woman and her guard and out an open back window into what looked like a storage room, and then down to the street. Voices forced them into the shadows the moment they hit the ground.</p><p>Together they watched two men walk closer until they moved under the lantern light of the building. Katara pressed deeper into the shadows as they passed. The Admiral laughed without a care in the world as a noblemen and himself walked up the steps to the building Katara had just been rescued from.</p><p>"-my new toy has been acquired," Zhao grinned, finishing out his statement. "Maybe I'll even give you a try when I'm through." The Blue Spirit clenched his fists and snuck a backward glance at the girl behind him. He was all for spending nights with the woman who worked and lived at the 'Spitfire', but they were all consenting adults, to some degree, and were well compensated for their work. This young girl, even with her social standing being where it was, did not deserve to be a toy. He had seen it happen before, and sadly, if she had any other master apart from the old medic, it would have been her reality already. At least if she had been raised there- it would have been more of a choice. He hoped.</p><p>The Blue Spirit led Katara down a few alleyways and then paused just before they walked under a lit torch near the entrance of a large building which she did not recognize. The street ahead looked safe enough, but he put his hand in front of her to signal for her to wait. He took a step, turned back to make sure she didn't follow and then darted around the corner through the firelight and then into the darkness.</p><p>Katara watched him go and noticed that he was not wearing the outfit she had seen him fight in. The clothing was still black, but it fell looser around him and lacked the bindings around his wrists and ankles to keep the fabric from getting caught in a fight. He did carry the dual swords; it made her wonder why he'd need them on an ordinary night. He was only gone for maybe half a minute when she heard movement behind her.</p><p>"I saw something over there," called a voice. Katara saw two guards close in on her corner and stood as still as possible. If she ran, the Blue Spirit might not find her and then she'd be lost in this city with no hope of finding where she where she needed to be. She had no idea where she was; none of the buildings were familiar here. She hoped the guards wouldn't find her.</p><p>Her luck ran short as the firelight from the guard's hand caught her, and she was spotted. The men advanced slowly, corning her.</p><p>"What do we have here?"</p><p>Katara stuttered a response. "I'm just on my way home."</p><p>"What are you doing out so late, alone?" asked the other man. He moved closer still, holding the flame to get a better look. He whistled.</p><p>"I'm going home," Katara repeated. She looked around, desperate for the Blue Spirit to return and help her. One of the guards swayed on his feet as he stepped on an uneven cobblestone, and Katara took her chance.</p><p>She attempted to dart around him and get away and hide. She had not thought that the man would be so quick to recover his balance. He looped an arm around her waist and caught her, swinging her back to the wall and pinning her there by jerking her arm behind her back. His shoulder armor was cool to the touch, it sent shivers down Katara's spine where it touched her exposed skin.</p><p>"Now that was rude," the guard smiled. "Why are you in such a hurry?"</p><p>"I have to get home. I have-"</p><p>"Wearing this?" The guard who held her to the wall asked. He rubbed the cloth of her nightgown between his fingers. "She's not a street rat, that that's for sure. Probably some nobleman's whore." She kicked out at the man, sick of being restrained. The word itself had no effect on her, she had never heard it before, nor did she know its meaning.</p><p>"Don't worry little one, we'll take you back home to your master," the guard smiled. He shifted her wrists to one of his single large hands and then slowly lifted the edge of her shift to expose the waistband of her loose pants. Katara tried to twist away.</p><p>"Let me go," Katara called out. "I haven't done anything. Stop!" The guard restraining her moved closer until he pressed his body up against her right side. He trapped her legs between the wall and his own. The other solider moved for his belt and reached for Katara's pants. The ribbon holding them tight against her hips came free with a single pull, though the covering only loosened, it did not fall away completly. When his rough hand made contact with her skin and slid under the loosening waistband, Katara's heart raced and she panicked.</p><p>"No!" She squirmed away from the man as best she could. "Let Me Go!"</p><p>She didn't get far before the solider inched his fingers too close for comfort. Eyes closed, Katara ripped her hands free from the ironclad grip of the soldier.</p><p>In a single second, the two men lay stunned and Katara was free. She blinked her eyes open, expecting to see the Blue Spirit standing before her. What she saw instead shocked her.</p><p>A chunk of ice, frozen from a puddle in the street from the previous rain, lay inches from the man who had been restraining her. It was broken into three pieces from impact. He moaned and moved to hold his head where a gash bleed into his eyes.</p><p>The other man, the one who had touched her, lay dead. She could tell even without feeling for his breath or checking for the telltale thumping of blood in any of the major veins like Shiyu had taught her. His back was covered with ice pellets formed into tiny two-inch spikes. They were driven deep into his neck and spinal column.</p><p>She had done this. Adrenaline coursed through her veins and her breath came in short gasps. Katara was terrified yet amazed at her power when her emotions got the better of her.</p><p>The single living man moaned again in agony and Katara looked down at what she had done once more. She stepped back and bolted when she saw the blood pooling on the ground, melting away the icy bullets. It flowed down the stones and mixed with the puddle she had drawn her water from. With her power, she had just killed a man. She fled.</p><p>Katara flew around the corner, fear filling her eyes, and crashed into a hard body. She struggled against it, not truly seeing who it was. When he released one of her arms and put a gloved finger to her lips, she calmed instantly, finally seeing through her panic.</p><p>The Blue Spirit cocked his head to the side in confusion, she assumed because she hadn't waited. It would have been easier if he talked and told her what he was thinking and planning, but she realized by now that he would not. The young waterbender glanced back to the alley and then looked up to him. She stared at the blue demon mask, trying to see into the eyes of the man behind it to give her plea.</p><p>"Please, take me back. I want to go home."</p><p>He gave her arm a gentle squeeze and nodded. They jogged through the night street, avoiding any and all further patrols without issue. He led her to a door surrounded by crates of fabric bolts and barrels with rainwater once they came to the side of The Arena building. The door was already open slightly and the Blue Spirit pushed her inside. He shut the door behind her loud enough to echo into the office. She stood alone in the dark stairwell. Safe.</p><p>"Who's there?" called Shiyu's voice. Katara smiled in spite of all that had happened tonight when the doctor appeared at the top of the steps. She flew up the stairway.  Another shout called out just as she was about to embrace him.</p><p>"Is that her?" Katara recognized the voice as the old man who liked tea, Prince Zuko's uncle. Why was he here?</p><p>Shiyu called back to him in amazement. "She's back!"</p><p>Inside, down in the sitting room, the familar warmth of the room sent the events of the night rushing back to her in a flash. Weak in the knees suddenly, Katara clung to Shiyu for balance. He did not seem to mind and gently guided her to a cushion at the table. Even as she sat on the floor, he kept a hand on her back.</p><p>"Katara," he asked slowly. Iroh handed her a cup of tea, jasmine again, which she accepted gratefully and sipped at. She did not have time to wonder to much why Shiyu was still up and why Prince Iroh was present. She assumed he was the one Shiyu had gone out to visit earlier that night and they had both returned here to relax with tea only to find her missing.</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>Katara bowed her head, thinking of the soldier whom she had killed with her waterbending. No matter what, she could not tell them about that, but it occurred to her that the men were not referring to that most recent part of her night as she caught Shiyu's ramblings.</p><p>"-and the library looked like someone had broken into it. Are you ok?" He continued. She sighed; they wanted to know about the kidnapping in general. They knew nothing of the guards in the alley. She could not tell them. Even if only to ask what they whated. She shuddered, remembering the feeeling of rough hands across her skin.</p><p>"Shiyu. Let the young lady catch her breath."</p><p>Katara looked into her teacup. "A man broke into the library, and he took me to a building. I think the sign said 'Spitfire', but I could be wrong. I didn't really have time to read it when we left." Shiyu cringed when he heard the name of the building and Iroh shook his head. Katara noticed both men's reactions.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"The Spitfire is a brothel," Iroh stated. Katara looked at him with her naive blue eyes, begging him to explain further why that should mean anything to her.</p><p>"What's a brothel?" asked Katara when no one said anything.</p><p>Iroh frowned and turned to Shiyu. "Did you ever let her out of this room? What did you tell her if she asked about certain buildings in town?"</p><p>"It was on a need-to-know basis." He answered quickly, almost blushing in the candlelight. "And all she needed to know was medical information and techniques. I can assure you I never thought I'd need to discuss anything about brothels with her. I never took her when I delivered remedies or looked after the sickly girls there, so she had no questions to ask. Besides, I doubt she was taken advantage of. She's too calm." Iroh nodded.</p><p>Katara kept her questions to herself and looked down at her left knee in thought. She wondered why Shiyu looked so frazzled with the topic.</p><p>Iroh sighed, his shoulders sagging. "It does beg the question. Who would do this? It's against the law to steal and carries a serious penalty."</p><p>"No one has shown any interest in her out of the ordinary when we go out to the market," offered Shiyu. "Unless you think it could be Zhao. His gifts stopped coming a while back. Maybe he resorted to something more drastic-"</p><p>"Why would she end up at the Spitfire then?" Iroh asked. Katara sat up straighter while the two men pondered aloud.</p><p>"We saw him. The Admiral walked into the building just as I was rescued. The Blue Spirit got me out just in time to miss crossing paths," Katara said. " He was talking with another man about a delivery from him that had just arrived. But it couldn't have been him that took me, it was a man who I think worked there."</p><p>"That's proof enough. Zhao didn't kidnap her, but he arranged for it. That's proof he did it." Shiyu extended his hand towards Katara.</p><p>"Her word is useless Shiyu," Iroh sighed.</p><p>"Then the Blue Spirit's," Shiyu said. "He no doubt heard it as well."</p><p>Iroh countered quickly. "The Blue Spirit is just the man's arena name. No one knows who he really is."</p><p>"No one?" The doctor asked like he already knew the answer. The two men held each other's gazes in a battle of wills.</p><p>The doctor felt that the Blue Spirit and Iroh were somehow connected, even just in passing. They spoke too similarly. They simply felt similar, even if they enjoyed VERY different pasttimes. The two men stared across the table until Shiyu finally yielded. Though, it could have just been a coincidence. After all, he had been given the girl by the man at that very same brothel six years previous. He could have just been a regular patron and been there at the right time to notice something fishy.</p><p>Shiyu shook his head. "So now what? What's to keep Zhao from going after her again?" There was a moment of silence as the question floated between them.</p><p>"I can keep an eye on her for you," Iroh offered.</p><p>"I'm not-"</p><p>Iroh's next statement was dead serious. "If you mean to protect her, she can't stay here. The next time this happens- you might not get her back." His next statement was gentle, "She'll be safe from Zhao in the palace as long as you don't let it slip who has her." Shiyu looked at his hands and nodded. Iroh seemed satisfied and got to his feet. He leaned in to whisper something to Shiyu. The doctor's eyes went wide.</p><p>"I can't accept that! That's too much-"</p><p>Iroh ignored him. "Now." He smiled, turning to Katara. "The sooner we get you inside the palace, the safe you'll be from Admiral Zhao, or whoever it was who ordered you kidnapped." The girl nodded and paused when Iroh held open the door for her. Iroh called back to Shiyu as he moved out the door as well.</p><p>The waterbender moved to follow after the eldest prince of the Fire Nation and looked once more at her home for the last several years. They had been an excellent chapter of her life. Taking a step back, Katara threw her arms around the doctor. He stiffened in surprise.</p><p>"Thank you. For everything. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't taken me in."</p><p>"Be good Katara," was the shocked response Shiyu gave her, loosening up to pat her on the back. "Don't forget what you've learned here."</p><p>"I won't," she promised. The two parted, and the door closed between them.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The chapter title comes from  the song "You Found Me" by The Fray</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Never Knew I Could Hurt This Bad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 9 - Never Knew I Could Hurt this Bad </strong>
</p><p>"I hoped my prayer found him as he fell. It was the least I could do, since I was the guilty one after all, not him. "</p><p> </p><p>The palace was much more magnificent that she had even thought to imagine. Iroh led her down the gilded hallways with plush red carpets which took her by surprise after seeing the building only as a looming fortress. They moved through the dark hallways and ran into no guards, which Katara thought was slightly strange. She was glad she was being led; they took too many turns and up flights of steps that she would have trouble remembering even in the light.</p><p>Finally, Iroh stopped. He opened a single un-elaborate door and motioned for Katara to enter. Four beds, just large enough for a single person each, filled the room, each with a chest of drawers at their feet.</p><p>"You can stay here. I'll be by in the morning." Katara nodded and touched the first pristine bed in the row. It was pressed up against the wall like she was used to back at Shiyu's. She moved to the window. The shutters eased open at her urging. It was small but from it, she could see the gardens below and the moon above. The same moon that watched her waterbend out on the streets earlier. She stepped back, returning to the bed. </p><p>She sat, wrapped her arms around herself, and looked around. The room was small, but bigger than her first home in the nursery's nanny-room. There was no door except the one she entered through, so she assumed there must be a separate bathroom. Testing the door, she found it unlocked, but she had nowhere to go for that to be important. It was nice that Iroh trusted her at least.  She wondered if other people lived here, but she decided that they should have been back and in bed by now if they did.</p><p>Katara laid back, pulled the covers over her head, and struggled to fall asleep. She woke feeling less than rested the next morning. She pulled open the curtains and studied the view from what she figured was the second floor in the light. Shortly after, the door was opened, and she had company.</p><p>"Good morning." Iroh stated. He carried a tray with a steaming teapot and two cups. Placing them on the chest beside the bed nearest the window, he poured two cups and handed one to Katara as he sat on the edge of the next bed. Katara turned from the window and faced him, sitting opposite him and sipped at her tea. It was spiced orange. Not one of her favorites, but it gave her new energy after a fitful night. They enjoyed the tea in silence until Iroh set his cup down.</p><p>"I'm sorry if last night was sudden."</p><p>"No, it's fine," Katara answered, looking down at her drink. She took another sip.</p><p>"You must trust me that you are safer here. Admiral Zhao, or whoever it was, has no idea you are here. Even his men can't take you without someone finding out."</p><p>Katara swallowed. As much as she feared being stolen away, another worry rose. "You won't keep me locked in this room all the time will you?" Katara asked, sounding fearful. "I understand that I'm safer, but-" She paused; worried she'd overstepped her bounds. She knew nothing of how this man treated his servants; she figured that was what she was now. Servant to the eldest prince of the Fire Nation.</p><p>She braved the last bit of her thought when she received no harsh words. "I felt useful to Shiyu, and I loved being able to do something. Now, I don't have that." Iroh closed his eyes and nodded.</p><p>"I'm sure I could think of something."</p><p>Katara brightened. "Really?"</p><p>"Yes, but not now. In a few days- after the turmoil has died down in the city."</p><p>"About me?" Katara asked.</p><p>"No. An unrelated event. A night patrolman was found dead in an alley on the east side of the city. His partner suffered a head injury but lived. He said he was attacked by a waterbender from behind, but he can't remember anything about the attacker. The city patrols are out in full force verifying everyone's papers, searching for the rogue bender.</p><p>"What will happen if they find them?" Katara's breath hitched.</p><p>"They will be executed at the Arena," Iroh explained. Katara stared in horror. Iroh eased onto his feet and rearranged the tea set to leave for her to enjoy. As he turned to leave the room, Katara called to him.</p><p>"I have a question," she asked, somewhat timidly. "It's not very important." The eldest prince nodded, and she continued. "What is this room for? Will there be other people who will be in here with me?"</p><p>"This is one of the rooms where my servants used to live. No one lives here anymore, so it's all yours."</p><p>"You don't have any servants?" She figured if a lower ranking nobleman like Master Zu had a handful of people to answer his every beck and call, then a prince should have many.</p><p>"Not anymore." He started to say something else, but the door swung open and cut him off.</p><p>"I thought I heard your voice Dad. Where-?" A young man pushed open the door, saw Katara, and paused. She could have sworn he gave her a look of recognition, but she had never seen him before in her life.</p><p>"Come in Lu Ten," Iroh said. He sighed, closed his eyes, and shook his head.</p><p>"You did end up getting a servant then?" The young man asked. Anything Katara thought she saw in the boy's gaze vanished. "I thought you said-"</p><p>Iroh interrupted him. "I meant what I said. She's not-"</p><p>"If she's not a servant, then why's she here?" Katara studied the young man for a moment as Iroh explained the situation with Zhao. The boy was maybe in his early to mid-twenties. His hair was near black, as Iroh's must have been when he was younger. Though the young man's face was more slender then his father's- it must have come from his mother's side, she could see the resemblance between them. Absentmindly, she was reminded of the youngest prince. She bit her lip to keep her thoughts straight and focused again on Iroh's explaination. She caught the tail-end.</p><p>"And so I've taken her in as her protector," Iroh concluded. His son frowned, leaning against the nearby wall.</p><p>"So you're going to keep her hidden away in this room? Like a bird in a cage?" asked Lu Ten, almost sarcastically. "Some protection, the girl will probably go crazy in here if you try to keep her a secret like that."</p><p>"I was going to-"</p><p>"You know, it would be better to hide her in plain sight," Lu Ten interrupted, putting a hand to his chin in thought. "Zhao would ever expect to see her in the palace. And even if he did, he's not here that often." He started to pace as he spoke.</p><p>"I was going-"</p><p>"You'd be better off having her as your personal taste tester."</p><p>Iroh laughed, holding his belly and leaning backwards as his son rambled on. "Or maybe you-"</p><p>"Lu Ten." The boy closed his mouth and looked back to his father as he spoke.</p><p>"I'm going to tell everyone she's my new tea stewardess."</p><p>"Your what? You just made that up!"</p><p>Iroh clenched his fist in mock horror. "My own son would think that I'd make something like that up?" He shook his head. Katara drank her tea and watched them argue.</p><p>"The late General Hyun had a young man who brought him tea everyday," Iroh explained, "even on the battle front."</p><p>Lu Ten sighed. "Well, she would always be under your watch then. And no one would doubt that you actually wanted that much tea." Iroh offered his son a cup. He declined and looked at Katara. Their gazes held for a moment as she tried to figure out what he was searching for. She was still in her night clothes, since she did not have time to grab the few outfits she wore at the doctor's, and her hair was a mess, so she hoped he didn't hold that against her. Lu Ten shook his head as if chasing away a lingering thought and moved to the door.</p><p>"Dad," he stated, as if just remembering. "Did you hear about the news from the city guard about the patrolman? The news is sweeping through the capital. We might have a riot-"</p><p>"I already heard," Iroh said, sipping a second cup. He spoke down into his tea. "The patrol has been authorized and advised to increase their numbers twofold to reassure our civilians for the next week or so. They might stay out in force longer."</p><p>"Oh," his son blinked. "I'll see you for lunch then." The door shut and Iroh set his now empty cup down.</p><p>"Forgive my son. Lu Ten always has somewhere to be." The old man stood again and smoothed his robes. He seemed to finally notice that Katara was not dressed, nor did she have anything to change into.</p><p>"I'll be back shortly with some new clothes for you," Iroh stated. He left the room, but kept it unlocked once more. Once she knew neither of them was coming back into the room, she slid off the bed, leaned back against it, dropped her face into her hands.</p><p>Last night came rushing back to her. The kidnapping, the guards in the alley, her waterbending, the smell of blood. That man- the one she had not killed had seen her face; he knew who she was. What if he put together that the waterbender and the girl were the same person? That it wasn't a second person from behind? <em>What if-?</em></p><p>She stopped the thought before it even started. The only positive was that the Blue Spirit had rescued her. Katara truly did want to thank him now. Her life had been saved multiple times thanks to him. She wondered how he knew to always be there when she needed him. Katara sat curled up like that for a long time. Her eyes grew wet, but her tears never fell. </p><p>There was a knock at the door and a woman opened it before Katara could respond. She carried with her a stack of folded red clothing. She was a larger woman, taller with more muscle that Katara had even seen on some of the warriors. Katara scrambled to her feet, scrubbing at her eyes.</p><p>"The Prince sent these for you," the servant stated, holding out the clothing to show her.</p><p>"Thank you," Katara replied. She assumed the woman was referring to Iroh, so she asked, "Did he say anything else?"</p><p>"Nothing else. He was headed to a meeting though. I think it's about the rogue waterbender in the city." Katara swallowed the hard lump in her throat and nodded.</p><p>"That's so frightening," the woman said, smoothing the top outfit on the pile she had just set down on the foot of the bed. "To think, one of those barbarians got loose and is living on our streets. I'm sure he won't hesitate to kill again." The woman noticed the look of fear in Katara's blue eyes, even though the girl said nothing.</p><p>"Oh, worry not my dear. The palace is the safest place. No one has ever gotten through the guards and lived, at least not since I've worked here." Katara tried to smile and ended up simply nodding. The woman mentioned something about finishing the laundry and hurried out of the room. She wondered if the woman had noticed that she was of Water Tribe descent when she spoke of the waterbenders being barbarians. It wasn't like she could hide her striking blue eyes and dark skin. She hugged herself before trying to focus with a deep breath. She turned to the clothing to distract herself.</p><p>Katara lifted the first outfit in the pile of five and held it against her body. It was a long red tunic, the color of wine with a bright red sash. The other outfits included a few dresses with excess fabric on the shoulders and around the collar, similar to what the other servant wore, a set of lightweight clothing for sleeping, and an outfit that included pants. Katara was not sure which one to throw on first and decided to go with the last one. The plain tunic and pants combo were the most similar to her old clothing at the arena. She set the others out on the chest to ask about them. She wasn't sure if she was allowed to explore the palace and made herself comfortable in front of the window with the rest of the tea.</p><p>An hour later, the door opened and Iroh strode into the room. He found Katara laying on her back on the bed, starring up at the ceiling. She perked up when she heard him enter.</p><p>"Thank you for the clothing."</p><p>"You're welcome. I wanted you to be prepared for anything that might come up during your new job. We'll practice now at lunch."</p><p>"Practice what?" She swung her feet off the bed and stood.</p><p>"Your role as my tea stewardess. You'll be in charge of making sure I have tea wherever we go. You follow after me, on the left side when we walk, and take your position against the wall nearest my seat when we get to the room after you pour my tea. This is yours." The man passed Katara a small bamboo box with a linen strap to carry it over her shoulder. She set it down and opened the lid. Inside, a porcelain teapot and two matching cups were nestled, along with small jars of tea leaves. She shut the box and looked up at Iroh.</p><p>She bit her lip, unsure how to handle the overwhelming feeling of gratitude. Not only was he watching over her, but he'd given her a task to keep her from being bored. She looked up and meet his kind eyes. She needed to know.</p><p>"Why are you helping me? Keeping me under your watch, away from the Admiral? Giving me-"</p><p>"Now is not the time. But I will answer all your questions after lunch." He sighed and led her from the room. As he instructed, Katara followed after him a few paces behind and on the left. He only needed to correct her once.</p><p>She took care not to let the case bang or rattle as she walked. Katara followed the general into a high-ceilinged room with a single table set for six. The room was empty, the set of paneled doors out to a courtyard partway open to let in a breeze and sunlight. Iroh took his seat at the head of the table on one side and motioned for the case to be opened; Katara did so.</p><p>"The side pocket has a set of spark rocks for you to light the candle. Normally, this would have to be burning by the time we arrived, but we're here early." He pulled out a flattened candle with seven wicks and set up the teapot to sit atop a wire frame over it, inside the basket. "Before we go anywhere, you must fill the pot with water. It will be heavy, but I doubt you'll have any issues."</p><p>With the jug from the table, she filled the teapot with water. Katara added the leaves as per Iroh's instructions next. He held the teapot close and breathed out. Steam escaped from the vessel's nose. Katara pulled out a single teacup and poured Iroh a cup just as the door swung opened on the far side of the room.</p><p>"This is the signal for more tea," Iroh whispered and made a subtle gesture with his hand under the table. Katara nodded, gathered up the tea set, and bowed just for good measure as the new arrival's footsteps filled the room. She knelt behind the curtain near an opening that ran the length of one wall and looked up. The curtains must have been made for servants to wait on their masters without being seen, as there were many openings throughout the fabric. She waited alone, unseen. While it was only lunch, she wondered where the other servants were. Maybe personal servants had fallen out of fashion?</p><p>An elegant woman and two others walked in. Katara recognized the young man as the prince from the dual.</p><p>"I told you Father wouldn't be here," the young girl frowned as she took her seat at the table.</p><p>"Azula, your father-"</p><p>"Did I miss anything yet?" Katara recognized the voice as Lu Ten's. She maneuvered herself so she could see through the gap in the curtains.</p><p>Lu Ten sat on Iroh's right side, across from the girl, no doubt a princess. She shared the same features as the woman she sat next too, whom Katara assumed was her mother. Prince Zuko sat across from her and next to the other head seat, the only open seat. She saw the two young princes share a conspiratory look before she noticed that Iroh had <em>already</em> finished his first cup of tea and had given her the signal to come and refill his cup.</p><p>With all l the grace she had, Katara rose and moved through the curtains to Iroh's side. The mother had begun talking to Lu Ten about something at that point, but Katara felt both of her children's golden eyes follow her across the room, watching as she poured Iroh another cup of jasmine tea. Even before she finished pouring, the daughter spoke.</p><p>"Is there something wrong with the tea already out, Uncle?" Her tone held acid that surprised Katara. She tried to ignore her as best she could. It was harder then she thought, even with the words not directed at her. </p><p>"I prefer my own blends," Iroh answered. He must have been ignoring the girl's tone, since it was so obvious that there was no way to miss it. He waved his hand dismissively at the pot they'd all poured into their own cups. "That tea just tastes like hot leaf juice."</p><p>"All tea tastes like hot leaf juice Uncle," Zuko scowled as he rolled his eyes between watching Katara. Iroh put a hand to his heart as if he'd been wounded. The door opened for the final time just as Katara put the teapot back in the basket and stood. As she bowed, she saw the man who entered the room. She moved quickly behind the curtains before he could get a good look at her.</p><p>"Glad you could join us, Ozai," Iroh said. "Azula was worried you wouldn't show." The girl shot him a look full of flames.</p><p>"I just know how important your meetings are with <em>grandfather</em>," she replied. Katara noticed the girl gave Iroh another look. The princess, it seemed, wanted to make sure her uncle knew that the Fire Lord, met regularly with her father. Katara did not try to understand their family politics, though her heart ached for her father and brother.</p><p>Food was brought in by a small army of servants. The scents made Katara's stomach clench. The bread and tea she had been given for breakfast was not nearly enough to sit through this extravagant meal. The family fell silent as they ate. Katara felt tension between the two sides, mostly from prince Ozai. He made her just as uncomfortable as Zhao had, only slightly different. With Zhao, she felt not so much fear as just disgust; this man exuded power. It occured to her then how dangerous of a position she found herself in. She wanted to hide behind the curtain and not leave until the family was gone.</p><p>But Iroh motioned to her once more, and her presence broke the table's silence.</p><p>"Finally gave in, Iroh?" Ozai smirked. Katara refused to look away from the cup she filled. The teapot only had a single cup's worth left. She silently begged the eldest prince to drink less. But he seemed to know his teapot's limit and set the full cup down without taking even a sip.</p><p>"She's <em>just</em> my tea stewardess, Ozai," Iroh explained with a hint of ice. He waved Katara away. Ozai watched the girl vanish, curtains swirling as she fled.</p><p>"Of course brother," Ozai nodded with just a hint of sarcasm. "When did you acquire her?"</p><p>"Recently," Iroh spoke. His lines were well rehearsed, like an actor in his favorite play. "A friend of mine knew the man who had her and he needed coin to pay a debt. I was right to accept his price. I got more than what I paid for; she's quite skilled at tea preparation." Katara wondered why he needed to lie about where she had come from. She would make sure to ask him later.</p><p>"Did Father tell you about what has been decided in the city, Uncle?" Azula asked, pushing aside her plate. "Speaking of nobles and money?"</p><p>"You can tell Iroh after lunch is over Azula," her mother tried to say.</p><p>Iroh gave the woman a gentle smile. "She's fine Ursa."</p><p>"What was decided then?" Lu Ten asked, looking between Azula and then to Ozai. "This is about the rogue waterbender right?"</p><p>Azula answered for her father. "Grandfather decided that any citizen who brings in one of their slaves with bending will be paid in gold to hand them over. Double if they can waterbend. He says it's worth the coin to get those excuses for benders off our streets."</p><p>"Watch your language young lady," Ursa snapped. Azula closed her mouth but could not keep the smirk from her face. She glanced at Ozai, noting that he did not show the same disdain for the language she chose.</p><p>"What will happen when they're all rounded up?" asked Lu Ten, genuinely interested. Katara listened with bated breath.</p><p>"The murderer will burn," Ozai answered. He set his utensils down and folded his napkin as he stood. "Iroh, I need to speak with you about our father." With that, the meal was over.</p><p>Iroh touched his son on the shoulder and tilted his head towards the curtains where Katara waited. The rest of the family left the room as the two brothers walked off together. Only Zuko glanced back to see what kept Lu Ten, though he did not stay when he spotted her. Katara gathered Iroh's empty cup, blew out the flames on the candle and followed after Lu Ten when he gestured to her. He led her back to her bedroom where she put down the tea set on the closest bed that wasn't hers.</p><p>"Did you need anything else?" Lu Ten asked after a moment of hesitation, his hand on the door and ready to leave.</p><p>"I haven't had lunch."</p><p>"The kitchen is back down by the room we ate in, down the hall on the left. They should have something for you. The servants' washing room is across the hall and down three doors as well." Lu Ten added. "It hasn't been used in a few years, so I hope everything still works like it should. You can let my Father know if it doesn't, I guess." He seemed at a loss for words for how to direct her further.</p><p>"Thank you," Katara smiled. Lu Ten returned her grin and left the room. Katara waited a moment and headed out to find the kitchen. Following Lu Ten's instructions, it was easy enough to find. She found bread and red berry jam and a handful of leftovers still out from the family's meal. Before any of the servants who had served the food could return and tell her what was off-limits, Katara gathered up a small lunch and returned to her room. She ate and when she was finished, leaned back on the bed.</p><p>With nothing better to do, the Water Tribe girl curled into a ball and took a nap.</p><p>The rest of the day passed and Iroh did not need her. He sent down the same servant as before to bring her a tray for dinner and a book. The writing was simple and the images were gorgous, but the set of stories were classic Fire Nation legends, so she was intrigued.</p><p>...</p><p>The whole city gathered to watch the waterbending trials.</p><p>So Katara found herself back at the arena the next day. Though, instead of being down near the action, she sat behind Iroh in the royal balcony. Dressed in silk, her tea serving robes were similar to the other servants who watched over the family. The servants paid her no mind, though they seemed to enjoy each other's company. Studying them in silence, she noticed a phoenix or a hawk design embroidered on each of their tunics. Only then did she bother to check her own. Each of the corners of her dress's collar had golden dragons embroidered onto them. </p><p>She guessed the insignia was meant to link the servants with their masters. She knew not if the animals meant anything other than a system of differentiation, but that was the last thing on her mind. She tried to distract herself with figuring it out, but it did not work like she hoped. Katara shook like a leaf as the crowd grew.</p><p>In the arena, firebending soldiers had gathered a large group of men together. They were all in various states of dress, their clothing signaling where they had been taken from. Some were dressed in silk, like herself, so she assumed their masters had been high nobility or otherwise well-off, but others wore no more than lose fitting ragged shorts, indicating they were laborers. However, Katara knew one thing the men all had in common before it was even announced: they were all waterbenders.</p><p>The announcer called. "Loyal citizens of the Fire Nation! A grave injustice was done to one of our noble patrolmen two nights previous. Killed without a chance, literally stabbed in the back by a waterbender, we lost a noble member of our town guard!" The crowd called out in anger. Katara shivered where she knelt. Iroh turned to her for a moment, though he said nothing. She bit her lip.</p><p><em>If only they knew it was an accident</em>, Katara thought as she closed her eyes, <em>I didn't mean to kill him, only to make him stop, to let me go</em>. <em>I didn't understand what he wanted.</em></p><p>The second sentry, his head wrapped in bandages from his lesser injury appeared in the arena, escorted by two soldiers in uniform. Other soldiers kept the prisoners in a single file line. The announcer had begun talking again.</p><p>"-witnessed the attack. All the benders who slipped past the Arena have been collected and brought back where they belong. Now, if our noble patrolman will indicate which man attacked him-"</p><p>Katara's eyes welled with tears. How right, yet still wrong the speaker was. Yes, the murderer was here in the Arena, but she was not down on the sandy field facing justice for her crime. Instead, she was safe in the balcony while one of the innocent men below paid for her.</p><p>She drew a shocked breath when the guard pointed to a young man. He was smaller built and kept his long hair tied back in four braids- as was the custom in her village for young men who didn't tie it up in the warrior's wolf tail style. The other men were herded to wherever they kept the benders when they were not fighting, and the soldiers moved in on the young man. The boy, just older then her brother, could very well have been from her tribe. Her last memories of her tribesmen's faces had long since blurred. Maybe his powers manefested late, or maybe he had no choice but to reveal himself after years of hiding.</p><p>It was not enough that he did not do what he was accused of. Now, the crowd roared as he fought in vain against the five firebenders. It was a slow fight, painfully drawn out in Katara's mind. Each burn he suffered, she made herself feel as well. Soon she could hold back her tears no longer. She was grateful when he fell to the ground and took no more breath. It would have been easier just to die.</p><p>Her tears left hot salty trails down her face. Iroh noticed her distress even as she waited slightly behind him. He motioned for more tea, but put his hand over the cup when she got close enough to pour the liquid.</p><p>"What's wrong?" His concern showed bright and clear. She shook her head, not wanting to answer, and wiped at the tears staining her face.</p><p>"What's wrong?" He repeated.</p><p>"That man," Katara spoke through controlled sobs, trying not to attract attention. Luckily, the crowd was loud enough to drown out her voice. "He was- He was a good man." She bowed her head and said no more. There was nothing else to say- not to Iroh, not to anyone.</p><p>What more could she say without admitting he had taken the punishment that was meant to be hers? Then she would be down there and the both of them would be dead.</p><p>Iroh saw her grief but said nothing more, not here in this open place. Not here where his brother was watching or his father's servants took notes. Something told him this girl was important. He knew not why or how, but Iroh always trusted his instincts. They brought him far in life. So he paid the girl extra attention, and now knew he would need to learn more about her.</p><p>He let her pour him the tea he requested and watched the new firebending demonstration below. It was a military showcase, one meant to reassure the city after the attack. The additional patrols had already calmed some of the unrest, this should finish the job and keep the cillivians happy.</p><p>Katara slid back into her spot and wiped the rest of her tears from her face with her silk sleeves. The firebending below held none of her attention today; she was too busy sending a silent prayer of thanks to the man who had unknowingly given his life for hers. She was safe now, but she felt miserable. Katara hung her head until she noticed Iroh stir and the rest of the servants move to follow after their masters. The Arena was empty, and the crowds were dispersing. Katara stepped into place behind Iroh and followed the procession back to the palace.</p><p>"That waterbender wasn't very good," Katara heard Princess Azula state. The three Fire Lord's grandchildren walked just behind Iroh and Katara in a clump.</p><p>Zuko spoke. "He was up against five firebenders. What did you expect?"</p><p>"It just shows we need better guards," Azula sneered. "If that one man killed one of the guards without being very skilled, I bet that guard wasn't very good himself."</p><p>"Not everyone can be a master bender like you Azula," Lu Ten chastised, almost bored with his cousin's statement. "Besides, the patrolman gave his life defending this city, <em>our</em> city. You should show him more respect." Katara noticed Iroh smile and nod to himself. She was obviously not the only one eavesdropping.</p><p>"Besides, if <em>you</em> were up against five highly trained benders, I'd doubt you'd do any better."</p><p>"Is that a challenge Zuzu?"</p><p>"Don't call me that!"</p><p>She ignored him and laughed her newest challenge. "You and Lu Ten against me. I'll show you how much better I am than that worthless waterbender."</p><p>"It's not the same Azula," Zuko frowned.</p><p>"You're just worried that I'll win." Her laughter rang over the path.</p><p>At that point in the conversation the procession had reached the palace, and the three broke off from Iroh and Katara. She wondered absentmindely if the boys had taken her up on the challenge.</p><p>Iroh led her to her room and shut the door behind them. Katara looked up expectantly. Iroh was a busy man; he did not typically spend time entertaining her. She placed the tea set down and pulled out the dirty pieces to set aside for washing once he left. Iroh took a breath and Katara spoke.</p><p>"Thank you for the book," she stated, not wanting to think about what just happened in the Arena. She knew her eyes were red from her tears. She wanted to think about something else. "The stories were different from anything I've ever heard."</p><p>Iroh smiled. "I suppose that shouldn't surprise me." He sat on the bed opposite hers. "I picked it out because it had illustrations to go along with the text. I guess I needn't have worried that you could read. Though, I doubt Shiyu taught you."</p><p>"My mother started teaching me back at the South Pole. My grandmother taught me once we came here." Iroh wanted to ask what had become of the child's mother but refrained from asking. He had his own guess if the woman looked anything like her daughter. He was not blind to what happened to the prisoners taken into the city. He knew the fate many of them faced, but he'd never seen a reason before now to feel more then a passing guilt. He wouldn't be a great general if he let the fate of all his prisoners-of-war effect him so.</p><p>"May I ask you a question?" Katara asked after a moment's pause.</p><p>He chuckled. "Anything." Her innocence in asking was refreshing. She could not be much younger than his niece Azula, yet the two of them were such opposites.</p><p>"Why did you lie about where you got me from? Is it a bad to say I worked with Shiyu-?"</p><p>"No," Iroh shook his head. "My brother spends a lot of time in the same company as Admiral Zhao talking politics and playing the court games of intrigue and power. I don't want him letting anyone know where you truly came from in case it gets back to the Admiral. If if he found out you were here, you're safe, but I'd prefer to avoid him on the matter if possible."</p><p>Katara nodded. It somewhat made sense to her, though she wondered why Iroh did not trust his brother to keep a secret if he was told to.</p><p>"Can I ask something else?"</p><p>Iroh nodded, anticipating a similar inquiry from the girl.</p><p>"Why did the Fire Nation take my village here?" It was the same question she had struggled with since they had been captured. She was young at the time of the invasion, so many details were foggy. But Katara knew that if she had not been brought here her mother would still be alive and no one would have died on her behalf today. This man could most likely give her the best answer, aside from the captain of the Southern Raiders himself.</p><p>The question was not what Iroh expected her to ask in the least, and he was at a loss for how to respond. Katara could see that much.</p><p>"I'm sorry if I asked something I shouldn't have," she rushed to say. "I was curious-"</p><p>"Katara," Iroh said, watching as she pulled at the hemline on her sleeves. "I can't tell you why your village was taken here, but I can explain why prisoners are taken in general, if that is what you wish to know." Katara nodded and looked up at him, forgetting her sleeves once he agreed to answer.</p><p>No one ever reprimanded her for asking things before, since she was usually silent, but she felt that she had overstepped a boundary. Katara had never known cruelty in her life, at least not directed at her, so she had no reason to expect it for her actions. She noticed Iroh's watchful gaze on her, as if he was trying to learn what he could from her just by looking.</p><p>"You're aware there's a war being fought, yes?"</p><p>Katara nodded. She'd heard it mentioned both here and at the South Pole. Though, the whole concept of war was foreign to her; she'd not witnessed battles nor lost anyone directly to fighting. <em>What did one nation have to do to make another so completely enraged with it in the first place?</em></p><p>"The first battles, almost one hundred years ago, yielded a handful of prisoners from the Earth Kingdom. As the number of prisoners grew with each battle our armies won, our troops worried about them gaining in number and escaping to reveal strategies and information. They were sent back to the capital city, where Fire Lord Solzen decided they made cheap laborers and easy coin for the royal family. When the benders began escaping from their noblemen masters, Fire Lord Solzen declared only nonbenders could be sold and created the stadium, called the Arena, for the benders to try and win their freedom. It was a clever cover to hide the fact that they were simply fighting to the death. Very few of them won." Katara nodded in agreement at his last statement.</p><p>"It soon became clear that not all towns were going to fight back. These towns and villages were allowed to exist in peace if they offered benders or warriors for the Arena every five or so years. They were allowed to then exist as demi-citizens to the Fire Nation without fear they would be completely enslaved. Because of this, the Arena today is almost equally filled by benders and nonbenders, much different from when it began."</p><p>"Today, these matches have become a way to show the people of the Fire Nation that our nation is winning the war and is still the most powerful. As long as this war is being fought, the Arena will remain open. And for it to remain open, there needs to be fighters. As crazy as it sounds, the bloodshed in there keeps the peace on this city's streets. If our citizens thought that we were losing this war, they would panic."</p><p>Iroh paused. "Though for the past ten years, the battlefields yield less and less prisoners of war, and simply more killing." Katara worked through this new information and came to a dreadful realization, one she was sure Iroh was aware of.</p><p>"So my village was betrayed. The soldiers on the boat said something about us no longer being Fire Nation citizens. We had no benders and no warriors who fought against the Fire Nation before the ships arrived. They invaded and took us here because they needed more fighters, didn't they?" Katara asked. She silently begged Iroh to refute her claim.</p><p>"It would seem so." It took a lot for Iroh to be ashamed of his country. He was set to inherit the throne, he was the highest ranking general, in charge of the full military strength of the nation; he must love his home above all else. But he knew the toll this war had put on its people. He hadn't known six years ago when he left for the battlefront after a short reprieve back home to fetch his son to accompany him, but such truths have a way of making themselves clear to those who need to know them.</p><p>"Thank you," Katara finally said, her head still lowered. Her blue eyes filled with more tears that she fought to keep from falling. She had cried so much today.</p><p>"Katara. I'm sorry you had to witness that today. If I had known how much seeing someone-"</p><p>"No, I'm glad I was there. He wasn't so alone this way." Katara sighed, shook her head, and then lowered her voice. "He was innocent." Iroh made no indication of whether he heard her or not.</p><p>"Did you know him?"</p><p>Her tears returned. "I don't remember. Maybe- my brother could have been friends with him. But even if he wasn't, he didn't deserve to be cut down like that without a chance. He wasn't a killer."</p><p>"Men change when they feel their lives are in danger, when they feel backed in a corner with nowhere to go," Iroh explained, slowly. "Being held captive can turn a calm man into rash one." He paused. Katara could see he wanted to change the subject. She probably overstepped her boundaries by insulting the system of justice in his nation. He was, after all, not just her master, but heir to the throne of the Fire Nation.</p><p>Iroh cleared his throat. "Tell me more about your village. I was never part of the raids that took place on the Water Tribes. All I know is the Earth Kingdom front." Katara wasn't sure what he hoped to gain by her telling him. Her village was gone.</p><p>"The Firebenders who took us away burned the village to the ground. There's nothing left."</p><p>"Tell me about it before they came," Iroh coaxed, "about the buildings, the people."</p><p>She reached deep in her memories. "Our tribe sat on the northern tip of the South Pole. Each family had an igloo where they lived." When Iroh stared in confusion at the word, she explained further. "The buildings were made of ice and snow. Sometimes, whale bone or driftwood was used to help support the larger ones. Animal skins were used as doors, and the insides of the igloos were warm, warmer than you'd think. I miss them." Katara paused again; she didn't truly remember the igloo she called home, all she could remember was that she felt safe and loved there. She wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.</p><p>"My father was the chief of the tribe, and my brother was just starting to be interested in his upcoming warrior training. My mother had already taught him to read and write and was working with me. But then- everything changed when the black snow fell and the ships came."</p><p>Iroh nodded, and let her collect herself. He had always enjoyed learning about other cultures, at first if only to get a military advantage other them. Now, it helped him to see what drove people to act the way they did. It was especially useful on the battlefront. The general wondered absentmindedly how his life would have been different if he had told his father that he wanted to be a tea drinking scholar of cultures instead.</p><p>"What happened once you were here?" Iroh asked.</p><p>"My father and brother were separated from my grandmother and me. I found out later that they were sent to fight in the Arena. My grandmother and I were taken by a man who wanted someone to watch his children." She said, wondering is she should tell me she ran away. Would be send her back there instead? She skipped over it entirely, thinking of her time working as Shiyu's assistant. "And then I was with Shiyu. I miss working with him. I wish I could go back."</p><p>Her eyes widened and she looked up in fear. "Not that I don't appreciate everything you've done for me here, but I felt so helpful with him."</p><p>Iroh could only nod again. He admired the innocence she somehow still had. Children had such a way of bouncing back from adversary. And if anyone had been dealt a rough hand, it was the girl in front of him. "You were lucky to have escaped your kidnapping without harm, but next time you might not be so lucky. The man who ordered your capture was adamant to have you. You are safer here than anywhere else."</p><p>"But why?" Katara asked. "Why did he want me so bad he needed to steal me away? If he needed my medical abilities, Shiyu would have let me heal him at the arena, and I'm not even better then Shiyu is at medicine. Why was I taken to where I was? I don't understand."</p><p>"Do you know where you were taken that night?"</p><p>Katara nodded. "You asked me before. You called it a brothel, but you never explained what that was." Katara chewed at her lip and looked at him, waiting. Iroh took a deep breath; it almost appeared that he was at a loss for words. He finally explained.</p><p>"A brothel is- it's where men can go to have sex with women... That was why Shiyu and I were worried about you."</p><p>Katara shook her head. "I still don't understand. What does that mean?"</p><p>Iroh stared at her for moment. "How old are you Katara?"</p><p>"Sixteen." She had celebrated her birthday each year with her grandmother at Master Zu's and then eventually shared it with Shiyu when she came to stay with him. He was surprised at her age when he first learned it, thinking she was much younger since she was so small at first. Sometimes she didn't think he truely believed her that she was as old as she was.</p><p>"Old enough," Iroh said to himself more than her. Katara watched as the old man looked away for a moment, gathering his thoughts. She wondered if this would be a similar to her last talk she had about a new topic. Iroh acted the same way as Shiyu had. She swallowed hard.</p><p>As much as she wanted to know, she did not want to alienate the only kind person in her life. "You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable. I'm sorry I asked. Shiyu was the same way when he had to tell me about my moon time."</p><p>Iroh noticed the girl spoke without blushing as most would. Katara knew not to be embarrassed sharing such information, no one had taught her to be. She assumed Shiyu's reaction was typical to only him. While her current master's reaction was similar, she still didn't think anything of it. Iroh admired her innocence, but still was unsure how to go about this talk. It had been hard enough to explain things to his own son without his wife to help him. If he didn't think Ozai's servants would report back to him, he would sent for Lady Ursa in to assist him.</p><p>Katara spoke again, interupting his thoughts. "Can you tell me why the room I was put in at the Spitfire was decorated to look like the Southern Water Tribe? Do all the rooms look like that?"</p><p>"I assume not," Iroh replied. "The Spitfire is known for its <em>themes</em>. It's said that each room is styled to create a sense of the exotic for its customers. Other brothels in the city don't do that, thus the building is a popular location for men with more coin who can pay for the experience."</p><p>"And you won't tell me what this experience is," Katara finished for him. She frowned, feeling deflated at the news.</p><p>"Katara," Iroh stated, "you'll need to know about this eventually. I just feel I'm not the one to explain it to you. I'll make sure to find someone more suitable."</p><p>"It's ok. I'm sure I'll figure it out on my own."</p><p>"That's exactly was I'm afraid of-" Iroh began, but a knock at the door interrupted him. It opened without prompting and Lu Ten walked in.</p><p>"I knew I'd find you here. Grandfather wishes to talk with us," he stated before even shutting the door.</p><p>Iroh put a hand on Katara's shoulder and stood. "We'll speak later." He turned to Lu Ten as the boy led him out, "What did he say?"</p><p>"He said it was urgent and-" The door cut Lu Ten's words off and Katara was left alone in the room. She flopped backwards on the bed, her thoughts running wild imagining what could possibly be so <span class="ILfuVd"><span class="hgKElc">undescribable </span></span>that it left everyone she asked tongue tied. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is from the song "Learning to Breathe" by Switchfoot</p><p>Again, please forgive the delay. That edit took longer then expected... Also, I'm glad you all are still with me as I build the world up a bit more before we get the fun romance and whatnot ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. When You're Older</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 10 — When You're Older</strong>
</p>
<p>"When he didn't return at all that day, not even for evening tea, I wondered what could have happened that kept Prince Iroh away."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Iroh wondered what this meeting could be about. He was certain his father had just gotten home from the Arena like the rest of them, so the information must have been important to wait for them to discuss it inside the walls of the palace.</p>
<p>Lu Ten and Iroh entered the throne room where Azulon sat behind his curtain of flames. They both bowed, as was custom, and then waited to hear what the Fire Lord had to say. The old man got straight to the point.</p>
<p>"I'm sending you two back to the front." Iroh kept hold of his shocked expression better than his son, but the boy knew enough at least not to say anything.</p>
<p>"When?" Iroh asked.</p>
<p>"I'm sending the newest troops tomorrow," Fire Lord Azulon explained. The time frame was too soon, something must have happened that pushed his father's decision.</p>
<p>At the last strategy meeting, it was decided that the next wave of infantry would be deployed once the siege weapons were ready, and that was months off.</p>
<p>Iroh knew better than to fight with his father over the subject here. He had already expressed his concern at the meeting. Though, being away from the front lines had given him a sense of false hope that the war was near its end. Maybe this was what needed to happen. Once the war ended and the Fire Nation came out on top, the rest of the world would fall in line and they could finally share their greatness instead of constant death and destruction. Iroh stood and offered his father another bow; Lu Ten joined him to leave.</p>
<p>"Iroh," called Azulon at the last moment.</p>
<p>"Yes Father?"</p>
<p>"Finish this war my son. I'm getting tired. The throne is waiting."</p>
<p>Iroh nodded and left the room. Lu Ten did not comment, but Iroh figured the boy was smart enough to know what was going on.</p>
<p>It was not surprising that Azulon wanted to wait to pass the throne until the war was over. The old Fire Lord had already held on so long, what was another few months? Iroh figured he wanted the world under his control and in neat order before he gave him his birthright. He was not surprised, his father had always wanted the best for his eldest. Only after seeing his brother Ozai struggle to glean even the slightest portion of his father's respect as an adult did Iroh realize it though.</p>
<p>"You'd better get your stuff together," Iroh stated to Lu Ten. His son nodded, began to walk off, and paused.</p>
<p>"What will you do with the girl?"</p>
<p>"I'll bring her along," Iroh shrugged realizing he'd completly forgotten about his ward even after their frank discussion earlier. 

The threat of heading off to battle had a way of narrowing his thoughts. He had less than twenty-four hours to get everything set. In the hallway, he stopped the first servant he came across to deliver instructions to Katara to have her things ready to go tomorrow morning. The man, one of his brother's servants, bowed and headed off to relay the message. He had no doubt the message would get to her, and if it happened to get back to Ozai that he was bringing her along, then all the better.</p>
<p>Katara was the one piece that he did not know off-hand what to do with. He had taken her in to keep her safe from Zhao. While Iroh respected the man as a soldier, his morals were twisted, along with most of the non-military nobility. He wanted to blame the stress of war on the change to what the history said his people were like before, but seeing even men not touched by battle acting the way he did, it was hard to convince himself. He shook his head. Now was not the time.</p>
<p>Even though it was his only real option, Iroh was not thrilled to tell her that she would accompany him to the warfront. The last general's tea steward had been a man, so being trapped in a camp of male soldiers was not a big deal for him. There were few women soldiers, of course. The ones who were, were firebenders from lower class families just trying to earn a living, and thus were not likely to step in if they saw their comrades messing with a defenseless servant- even in jest. As trapped as the young woman might feel here in the palace, she would truly be a prisoner in an army camp.</p>
<p>Iroh was a very hands-on general. While he was not at the very front of every charge, but he would be on the field giving commands, not holed up in a tent miles away and safe from harm like his second-in-command often did. Lu Ten was often with him or phyiscally leading his own men on the field. Which would mean Katara would be left alone in the camp, and even though every man there was be under his command, they were a long way from the capital. The rules were different so far from home.</p>
<p>Iroh walked into the palace's war room and found several other military officers milling about. He knew they had pulled back their attacks at Ba Sing Se to confuse the Earth Kingdom, but for the amount of officers that stood there, it was shocking. He would have guessed they had already won.</p>
<p>"Commander Shu," Iroh called. "Do you have the battle records from the last year?" The man examining the table map nodded and moved to the side of the room. He pulled out a scroll and held it out to Iroh.</p>
<p>"This is the record of our own and the enemy's movements of the last year," Shu stated. "But, I can show you where they are now. I just received a new hawk this morning." Iroh took the scroll and nodded at the commander to explain.</p>
<p>The world map on the table was covered in pieces representing the armies and squadrons of every nation. Flag markers showed towns with quasi-citizen status as well as places that had been destroyed in battle or raids. Iroh had his own marker, being the general. The only other person who had a marker that represented just them as opposed to a whole unit, was the Fire Lord. Iroh never understood why the Fire lord would need to be represented on the war map. The flame piece never strayed from the capital.</p>
<p>Shu pointed to the table. "Recently, the Earth Kingdom troops have been mounting surprise attacks against our outlaying bases near the west mountains." The other officers made their way over to the table. Iroh knew each one well; there were very few young officers, so he'd risen through the same ranks alongside them over the years.</p>
<p>Lu Ten was the youngest at twenty-five, but even he knew his position was in part based on his title rather than experience. He had proven himself before the two of them were called back to the capital, but his rank was still fairly low. Iroh respected that Lu Ten seemed content to earn his future promotions. Officers were usually promoted based on their skills on the field, not how much gold they had at home. At this point in the war, the glory of winning was long gone. These men were battle hardened.</p>
<p>"This camp moved back several miles to avoid the attack they saw coming a week ago," Shu stated, touching the two locations on the map. "The Earth Kingdom troops seem content to slowly drive us back west across the plains to the mountains."</p>
<p>"Have we made any advances?" Iroh questioned, looking over the history scroll. His frown deepened as he glanced back to the map.</p>
<p>"We were letting the Earth Kingdom believe we were unsure and not attacking-" stated another officer, seeing the older man's look.</p>
<p>Iroh interrupted, "you were <em>showing</em> them exactly that!" He didn't often raise his voice, but these men had messed up. Luckily, all the ill-timed movements seemed to be recent, as in the last few months.</p>
<p>"Why are there so many of you back in the capital anyway?" Iroh questioned. "Who's leading your troops?" The men looked to each other sheepishly.</p>
<p>"We came to watch the Agni Kai-"</p>
<p>"That was six months ago!" He sighed, "We need to move forward now." He pointed to the table at their armies. "We'll all return to the front with the newest soldiers tomorrow, as I'm sure you've all heard by now." The men nodded, listening to Iroh as he gave his orders.</p>
<p>"Once we make it to the main army, we shall begin our advance to the wall. Our engineers have been working to invent something to help us achieve victory at long last." While the second statement was still months off, it gave the men hope; the eldest prince was glad he kept track of some aspects of the war effort even as removed from it at home as he was. He assumed his officers would have known what to do in his absence, but he had been gone for too long.</p>
<p>Iroh had not prepared a battle plan to share with the others yet, he expected to do that on the march to the wall. It would take at least a week and a half of marching once they sailed to the Earth Kingdom with the whole new segment of the army in tow; luckily the engineers were working on that as well. The metal tanks they had were quick, but they could not carry everyone at once. There were rumors of flying machines as well, but Iroh refused to get his hopes up on those. Those rumors had been circulating for years in the inner circles of the military.</p>
<p>"General Iroh," said one of the other officers. "I've received the list of all the ships that we are to take with us and the troop numbers as well." Iroh nodded and reached for the new scroll. He set the previous one on the table and scanned the new document.</p>
<p>"Who is the highest ranked officer going with us?" Iroh asked. As per custom, the general always sailed or traveled with the officer with the best rank. They typically had the best accommodations anyway.</p>
<p>"Admiral Zhao will transport you and your son, General Iroh," the officer explained. Iroh froze, remembered the company he was with, and then gave a satisfied nod. Taking Katara was out of the question. There was no way he would let her anywhere near Zhao's ship, even if he hadn't already tried something. Though, with the Admiral out of the country, she would be safe if he left her here.</p>
<p>He was tempted to send Shiyu a hawk to let him know that he could have his assistant back. He would need to add that to his to-do list. With what to do with Katara taken care of, Iroh focused on devising a battle plan with the officers as well as looking into their supply-chain needs.</p>
<p>The planning took well into the night; the candles were nearly burned out by the time Iroh left the war room. The remaining time was too short for all he needed to do. At least the boat ride to the western edge of the Earth Kingdom would allow him to catch up on his missed sleep.</p>
<p>It was slightly out of the way for Iroh to head to the roost, but he wanted to warn Shiyu to be ready to accept Katara back tomorrow. It was too late tonight; Katara would already be in bed. He hoped he could catch Shiyu before the medic dozed off as well.</p>
<p>The hawkery was silent, as Iroh expected it to be at this hour. He opened the door and walked over to the desk to write Shiyu the missive. The sound of a cage door opening in the back of the room made Iroh pause in the middle of the letter.</p>
<p>"General Iroh."</p>
<p>The hawk squawked as it was taken from the cage. "What a surprise to find you here. Sending your orders to the front?" Iroh refolded the note he was halfway through and held it over the candle till it caught flame. Iroh laughed. The burned pieces of paper floated into the air out the window and vanished.</p>
<p>"I would need to have some orders to send first," Iroh joked. He turned to face the Admiral while grabbing a new parchment sheet. "You missed the meeting this evening."</p>
<p>"Yes," Admiral Zhao smiled without meaning to. "You'll have to forgive me General. I had <em>pressing needs</em> to attend to all day. I had a minor setback in some plans a few days back, and today was needed."</p>
<p>The look the Admiral wore on his face was one most men knew well; though Zhao was especially good at wearing it. Iroh wondered why the Admiral was here, but he was also curious if he had just let slip what he thought he did. Not that he could do anything with that information in such a half-way state.</p>
<p>"Oh, I understand Zhao," Iroh stated, "But will one day be enough to hold you through the months that we'll be away?"</p>
<p>"No," Admiral Zhao responded bluntly, "but the girls at the Spitfire made a good effort. It's been nearly a year since I'd gone through that many whores in a single day." Iroh closed his eyes, held them shut for a moment and then looked back at the Admiral. Zhao was still basking in his past performance glow and seemed to be caught off guard by Iroh's next question.</p>
<p>"Who's the message for?"</p>
<p>"My mother," the Admiral said without missing a beat, and rolled his eyes. "It's news of my departure if she wishes to see me off in the morning. And your own?" He had been referring to the missive that Iroh burned.</p>
<p>"It's to my wife," Iroh lied, bowing his head. Zhao grimaced.</p>
<p>"How a sentimental old fool like you wins all the battles you do, I'll never know." Zhao scowled. He stepped to the window, threw open the latches, and tossed the hawk bearing his message out into the sky. Iroh watched the creature flap out of sight, and he moved to the door. He decided not to risk sending the medic a note that someone might question and just show up in the morning.</p>
<p>"I'll see you in the morning General Iroh," Zhao stated when the two men left the roost. Iroh bid him goodnight and walked back to this room. Once there, he sent a silent but actual prayer to his wife in the spirit world.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>The next morning, Iroh woke before the sun and changed into his formal officer attire. It was never worn otherwise, aside from these public events and at a battle's end to sign treaties and documents. Iroh understood the reason behind the two sets of silks for officers, but it meant bringing both of them to battle. His actual armor, with real, heavy metal plating was packed up and already being transported to Zhao's ship. These formal outfits had little metal on them, making them easier to move in with fewer restrictions. The red silk and leather padding was soft and unbroken without having to withstand years of fire blasts and weapon thrusts. It would do him little good in an actual battle.</p>
<p>Lu Ten met him at the door that led them out of their wing of the palace and into the main building. The you man's uniform was less elaborate then this father's, but still stood out amongst the others of the same rank because of his bloodline. He yawned.</p>
<p>In the main hall, Iroh was intercepted by one of his father's general servants. The man bowed and offered Iroh a scroll, still bound with an unbroken wax seal. Immediately Iroh wondered who it could be from. Wax, unless used by the royal family, was uncommon now-a-days.</p>
<p>The message must be important. Or private. He opened the note as Lu Ten followed him to the dining room. The sun had yet to rise. It was still too early for the rest of the family to normally be up. Though today, they would all be up and gathered at the docks soon enough.</p>
<p>The grand ceremony that would take place with their departure would not be missed by his brother and his family. Ozai had never been a soldier; he was better suited for the court games the nobles played in the palace. Even with his bending at the level it was, Ozai declined Azulon's recent offer to give him a position of command in the military just under Iroh's own. The eldest prince did not want to think too hard as to why.</p>
<p>Iroh sat at the table, picked up a slice of bread, and opened the note. He noticed it was from Shiyu and dated with yesterday's date. The runner the medic handed it to had obviously not been in a hurry- or paid enough. He scanned the letter and frowned.</p>
<p>"Who's it from?" Lu Ten asked nonchalantly as he ate his own breakfast. The both of them knew to savor this meal where the table was piled high with everything they could want. The battlefield was no place for such feasts. </p>
<p>"Shiyu. He took on an apprentice. A young man from the Academy."</p>
<p>Lu Ten grinned. "That's great. He took your advice then."</p>
<p>"Except I was going to send Katara back to him."</p>
<p>"You changed your mind about bringing her?"</p>
<p>"Zhao-" Iroh began, but the door was thrown open. A frazzled looking servant bowed low and quickly began speaking.</p>
<p>"Excuse the intrusion your highnesses, but they've pushed forward the time for the prelaunch check on the ships," he stammered. "I tried to get here as fast-" Iroh and Lu Ten had already stood and moved to the door, passing the poor man still catching his breath.</p>
<p>"We're on Zhao's ship for the journey there. I wouldn't be able to hide her the whole time and now Shiyu wouldn't be able to take her back. I can't leave her in that room for the time it would take to return. We'll be gone for months!"</p>
<p>Lu Ten interrupted. "Someone else could take her." Iroh sighed and shook his head. They neared the doors that led to the main steps leading from the palace. He didn't want to leave Katara here alone: even with his own family.</p>
<p>Azulon would have no use for her; his own servants were all highly specialized, loyal to only him, and very Fire Nation. He wouldn't want her around.</p>
<p>Ozai would gladly take her, but Iroh feared what might happen if he caught her alone. His brother's relationship with his wife was off and on. Lady Ursa was a strong woman, but even she could only put up with so much of her husband before refusing to share his bed. Ozai was known to take his frustration out on female servants, so Iroh would have saved Katara from one monster just to hand her over to another- very different one.</p>
<p>The women, Lady Ursa and Azula, had servants of their own, but they ultimately belonged to Ozai. Some old Fire Lord long ago had decided that woman could not oversee their own servants even though that was how the nobility worked today. Lady Ursa oversaw much of the day-to-day logistics in Ozai's wing of the palace, but she 'owned' none of their own, and then it hit him.</p>
<p>"Zuko," Iroh smiled and stopped on the top step outside the palace, even as his son passed him by a few steps. "Lu Ten-"</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"Zuko," Iroh smiled as he caught his breath. "Zuko can take her."</p>
<p>"I'll tell him," the boy offered. He seemed to understand his father's train of thought. "I'm not sure if he'll know what to do with her though. He's never had a servant to his name before. And we all know how well my first experience went." The boy grimaced.</p>
<p>Iroh laughed. "I trust that he'll figure it out. He's already met her too, so hopefully that should help." With the plan decided, father and son split. Iroh headed out to the port, and Lu Ten turned back to fetch Katara. It was almost a good thing the plans had changed; running her across the city to Shiyu before dawn with the prelaunch check so soon would have been impossible.</p>
<p>Iroh moved down to the docks with a lighter step. He was positive his nephew would watch over the girl while he was away. She seemed fairly obedient and the youngest prince was not prone to physical attacks on other people when he lost his temper- at least not that he had seen.</p>
<p>Besides, the boy needed to learn responsibility and Iroh figured keeping watch over Katara would be helpful. He had little doubt that things would work out on the home front.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the song "Trust Me" by The Fray</p>
<p>And the fun begins ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Silent Pain</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter warning:</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 11- Silent Pain</strong>
</p><p>"I miss the fluttery feeling that I had no words for. Now it's only the gnawing tension of worry. I hate it- I hate him."</p><p>
  
</p><p>She had not heard from Iroh since Lu Ten pulled him from their conversation yesterday. She'd stayed in the room, lost in thought as Iroh's words churned in her mind. Her only distraction had been when a servant announced she would need to have her things ready to leave early in the morning. He knew not why or anything else when she questioned him.</p><p>That morning, Katara was up with the sun, waiting. After ten years of waking at dawn to assist whoever she served, the habit was difficult to break. Without knowing where to go, she waited in the room. At least Iroh would know where to find her when they left this way.</p><p>She watched out the window at the people rushing around. The day did not feel any different to Katara, but the servants outside seemed panicked. She stood when she heard footsteps rushing down the hallway outside her door. It swung open, the door slamming against the wall. The room shook and Katara jumped when Lu Ten hurried inside. The military uniform threw her off for a second until he called her by name.</p><p>"Katara," he said, slightly winded. She assumed he had been running; though, in the armor he wore she did not know why he wanted to, even as light as it looked.</p><p>"Grab your stuff. We're in a hurry." Katara grabbed her pile of still unworn clothing set atop the tea box. She had nothing to pack it in, so she was thankful there wasn't much.</p><p>Lu Ten shook his head, looking to the pile. "You won't need the tea set. Is that really all you have?" Katara nodded, paused, and reached to grab the book Iroh had given her to pass the time. He led her out of the room and into the hallway.</p><p>"Where are we going? Why is everyone-?" </p><p>"The newest troops are heading out to the Earth Kingdom today. My father and I are being sent to the front with them," Lu Ten explained. </p><p>Katara nodded, but she glanced back down the hallway towards the room. "Are you sure I didn't need the tea set though?"</p><p>They walked as quickly as they could without flat out running as Lu Ten debated his words. It was a long jog from Iroh's rooms towards the identical wing to the other side. They moved through a covered walkway through a garden before the boy turned to answer. "No. He can't take you with him, not to the front. You wont need it now."</p><p>Katara almost stumbled. "Where are we going then? If Iroh is leaving and I can't stay with him- then can I go back to Shiyu?" Hope bloomed in her blue eyes as she slowed. Lu Ten grimaced and looped his arm around her waist to keep her moving forward. He was on a time crunch. No one made the Fire Lord wait; time revolved around the Fire Lord.</p><p>"Shiyu took an apprentice," he answered. "So you'll stay in the palace, with Zuko. Just be good and listen to him. We'll be back soon enough." His last statement was a lie; he just hoped she didn't realize it.</p><p>Katara stuttered. "But-" They paused several servants going about their routines. This side of the palace seemed busier in general then Iroh's rooms. Everyone, as busy as they were, paused to give Lu Ten a bow.</p><p>Katara was guided along the hallway, through another smaller courtyard, and over to more rooms. She said nothing as Lu Ten stopped in front of a set of wooden double doors and knocked. The voice behind it mumbled something incoherent that Lu Ten interpreted as 'come in'. He pressed open the door and walked in, pushing Katara along with him.</p><p>"Zuko!" Lu Ten called in surprise.</p><p>Katara immediately felt her face flush. The youngest prince stood half naked, his hair still sleep-tousled, a fresh tunic in his hands.</p><p>"Did you just get up?" Lu Ten asked. He smiled as he said it, but there was an undercurrent of jealousy in his question. Zuko pulled the tunic on and frowned at his cousin.</p><p>"No," came the obvious lie. His golden eyes fell on Katara then. She bit her lip and imediatly averted her gaze to keep her cheeks from getting any redder. He looked to Lu Ten. "What's going on? Why is she with you?"  Sighing, Lu Ten gave his cousin a sheepish smile.</p><p>"She's staying here with you. There's been a change of plans and she can't come to the front." Katara turned to Lu Ten. What happened that she couldn't go with Iroh? Did they think she'd escape into the battlefield? Or was it something else? She knew the palace was safe, but staying here under Zuko's watch-</p><p>The youngest prince seemed to agree. "What am I supposed to do with her-?"</p><p>"Dad thinks you'll think of something," Lu Ten shrugged. "Oh, and I need you to cover for me again. Just once is necessary." Lu Ten gave Zuko a stare to which the younger boy nodded.  Lu Ten pushed Katara further into the room and turned away before glancing over his shoulder. "You <em>will</em> be watching us depart, I assume?"</p><p>"Of course," the youngest prince frowned. Lu Ten laughed and retreated out the door. The footsteps echoing down the hall vanished too quickly for a man content to walk.</p><p>"Wait!" Zuko called, but Lu Ten was already gone. Zuko and Katara stared at each other for a moment. She clutched her clothing and the single book tighter to her chest, using it as a mini barrier between them. Zuko sighed, straightened his outfit, and looked outside the massive window that lined half of the first of his rooms. Only a small portion of it was open since the curtains were still closed from the night. Zuko was still in shock that Lu Ten had simply left her there. She felt the same way. Katara backed into the center of the room, unsure.</p><p>Zuko seemed to realize he too was on a schedule and hurried into a second room. When he returned a moment later, his hair was tied bad like she remembered it from the Arena. He paused at the door ackwardly. "Stay in this room until I get back." He grabbed something off the dressor by the door and left the room. There was no sound of a lock turning. Either the palace had doors that did not lock, or he too trusted she wouldn't go anywhere.</p><p>When his footsteps receded down the hall, Katara released a pent-up breath and closed her blue eyes.</p><p>After a calming moment, she set her clothing down on the padded stool and examined the prince's room. It was huge; Shiyu's whole apartment could easily fit inside this single main room, even in its messy state.</p><p>The bed sat in the center, raised up on a single step-like platform. It was nothing like the simple cots she had spent her life in; this bed was plush and enormous and red. Katara walked around the room, passing over the crimson runner rugs that outlined the edge of the raised dais and over to the window.</p><p>Katara examined the plain unlit candles and small figurines made of different metals on her way. She had never held or used coins of any kind, but the basics of the colors and their worth had not been lost on her when Shiyu explained them on their shopping trips. Gold, she knew, was worth much more then silver and copper, so she admired the multiple golden statues of scorpion-lions, dragons, and flames before moving to the window opening.</p><p>Flowering pots had been placed by the windows, most likely to keep the room from being submerged in the darkness of rich brown wood, heavy red curtains, and silky black accents. The bright yellow flowers certainty helped to bring some sun in. She helped them further by throwing open the curtain fully. Sunlight washed over her.</p><p>She pushed the decorative wooden screen aside in order to lean outside and let a smile spread across her face. The window looked out onto the city. Since the palace was raised slightly from the other buildings, she was just barely able to see the ocean over the broken mountain peaked that surrounded the upper ring of the capital.</p><p>According to Iroh's book, the capital was built inside an extinct volcano where a mighty horde of dragons once lived.</p><p>Leaning further out the window, she spotted the fleet of ironclad ships that she assumed was taking Iroh and Lu Ten to the Earth Kingdom. She watched for a long time, until the sun was high in the sky, studying the city and ships from above.</p><p>Finally, smoke billowed from the lead ship and the fleet slowly moved out into the open ocean. She thought she heard a crowd of people calling out and cheering, but they were far off at the docks, too far for her to truly hear. Katara stared out the window until the fleet faded into the distance.</p><p>With Iroh gone, she thought again to Shiyu and how she wished she could be back at the Arena assisting him. The watertribe girl knew there was no way both she and his new assistant could live in that tiny apartment, so it made sense that she could not go back. She enjoyed her time learning under him; her skills improved more than he could ever know. Now she had to face the fact that she needed to move on and stop wishing she was back there. She had a new challenge in front of her.</p><p>The door opened and scared Katara out of her inner thoughts. She turned around and stood, stepping away from the window. Zuko stormed towards his bed, pausing only when he remembered that he was not alone. He fought to control the range of emotions that flitted across his face and settled on a deep scowl. The two of them stared at each other for some time, not quite sure how to react to each other. She felt the fluttering feeling once more when their eyes meet and held.</p><p>His golden eyes narrowed, moving away from her face to survey the rest of her. Katara felt her checks flush. Her servant robes were modest, almost something cut for an older woman. At least they had fit her without modification, unlike her clothing back in the Arena. What was so special about his gaze that made her so flustered?</p><p>It wasn't a new feeling, being visually inspected; everyone who she assisted did it. It was typically quick, followed by a look of confusion or suspicion in the Arena medical office. It was not until Katara had met the Admiral that she realized that maybe not everyone was assessing her skills when they looked her over. She still did not understand why such looks brought heat to her face, but they did all the same.</p><p>She wondered what the young prince was searching for. His frown tightened when he came back up to her eyes; the grip he had on the bedpost tightened. Any control he had on his emotions slipped. Katara glimpsed something sharp flash across his face. She knew they were all in a rush today, but somehow the prince before her seemed worse for wear.</p><p>He question was more of a growl. "Did Lu Ten put you up to this? No- maybe Azula." His thoughts raced behind his eyes. Katara shook her head and tried to answer, but he cut her off, moving so the bed was no longer between him and her at the window. His next question was even more terse. "Why haven't you bowed and looked away?"</p><p>"Why should-"</p><p>"That wasn't a question," Zuko snapped. "You should have just done it." The warm fluttery feeling was replaced with nervousness when his tone grew sharper. It still clung to her, and it made her braver then she should have felt.</p><p>"Why?" Katara asked. She got to her feet, her frown mirroring his. She already missed Lu Ten and Iroh and their way of explaining verses yelling, but she held her ground. Even Shiyu, who had raised his voice with her when he was stressed, explained what he wanted and why. Zuko seemed to be at a loss for words.</p><p>He ignored her question, striding towards her. "Did she tell you not to listen to anything I said? Or maybe my-"</p><p>"No." Katara stuttered, leaning back to brace herself against the window as he came closer and closer. She wondered what had happened on the docks that had him so worked up and irrational. "Lu- Prince Lu Ten told me to listen to your orders. I wouldn't-"</p><p>Zuko fumed. "Then why aren't you doing that?"</p><p>"You haven't given me any instructions yet!" Katara snapped. Zuko's face tightened and the room seemed to warm several degrees. Something told her to be mindful of playing of fire- that she should be fearful of what she did not know. She recalled Prince Ozai shouting after lunch the day before at who she assumed could have only been a servant dropping a plate or a glass in his presence. It was not something she wished would be directed at her, but at the same time, something told her not to back herself into a corner completely now, even in avoidance. She did not usually get frustrated so quickly; she took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. </p><p>"You should just know," Zuko frowned. "You were my uncle's servant and the arena medics' before that."</p><p>"I was Shiyu's <em>assistant</em>, not his servant," Katara corrected him, her tone still curt, but softer now. "And I only served Prince Iroh his tea, nothing more. I don't know what you expect me to do until you tell me. I can't read your mind." Zuko looked to the ceiling and let a deep breath, complete with steam, fill the air.</p><p>"You really just followed my Uncle around and poured him tea?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>He relaxed as he calmed down, walking towards the door, pacing the room with even strides. "Why did he leave you with me?"</p><p>"I didn't ask."</p><p>"And you only know how to serve tea," Zuko repeated.</p><p>"If you'd only tell me what you need, I'm sure I could do that too," Katara stated with pursed lips. Zuko shook his head and frowned.</p><p>He waved his hands, wishing it would rid him of this issue. "Just clean the room up I guess. That should take you long enough until I figure but what to do with you."</p><p>"And where should I put my clothing?" Katara asked as the prince opened the door to leave.</p><p>"There should be room in the bottom drawer of the dresser. Don't break anything." The door closed, shutting her inside.</p><p>She had only given the mess a cursory glance before when she walked in. It reminded her of the nursery. Instead of toys, there were piles of crumpled clothing on the floor, heaps of books and paper, and an unmade bed. And that was only this room. She wondered if any of the servants she had seen in the halls were supposed to clean his room, because if a set of noble children had someone to do that then surely a prince did. Even so, she did as she was bid.</p><p>The clothing needed to be washed; she piled it near the door. When the prince returned, she would ask him what he wanted done with it. As the sun rose and then began to fall, Katara finished organizing the mess on the tables, shelves, and single writing desk in the smaller ajoining room. She ended up finding and throwing a handful of empty ink bottles and unusable brushes into the waste bin. She didn't bother with the attached bathing room. </p><p>Soon, the suite looked much better and Katara was out of things to do. She stored her clothing in the bottom drawer like Zuko had said. He didn't seem to have that much clothing he kept in it. The majority was stored in a large separate armoire.</p><p>In the remaining light, Katara settled herself on the lounge in the room with the writing desk and pulled out the book of myths. That was how Zuko found her when he returned hours later. From her seat, she had a clear view of the door.</p><p>The prince strode into his room, looking around. She wondered if he expected to see her still working on cleaning up his mess. It was a slight feeling of smugness in completing her task in less time then he assumed that kept her from rising to greet him as she had always done with Iroh and Lu Ten. She watched from the corner of her eye as he noticed the pile of clothing near the door. It took him a moment to find her in the second room. </p><p>"What's this?" he asked, motioning with an open palm at the clothing.</p><p>"Your dirty clothing," Katara answered, looking up from her book. "You said not to leave the room. I assume you have other servants to do your laundry?" Zuko walked over to her as she closed the book. When she looked up, he stood directly in front of her.</p><p>"What's that?" He reached for the book like a spoiled toddler.</p><p>"A book," Katara replied, somewhat sarcastically, clutching it to her chest. She was almost finished. There were only three stories left for her to read. "Your uncle gave it to me to pass the time when he didn't need me."</p><p>"You can read?" Zuko asked, his face showed his disbelief.</p><p>"Of course I can read!" Katara snapped. She stood, still holding the book to her chest. Somehow, she knew the game she played wasn't the smartest by talking back to him the way she was. She would normally be content to do as she was asked as long as she was treated with respect- which this prince had not yet given even an ounce of. She wandered how she had ever felt anything pleasant towards this disrespectful prince. All she wanted to do was be free of him and back with his uncle and cousin. she posed a question. "Is it unusual for your servants to be able to read?"</p><p>"No, all the palace servants can read." The questioned had thrown him off balance. He took a step back, realizing how close he stood. He wasn't that much taller then her, but she still needed to look up to glare at him. He stumbled over his words. "Did the arena medic teach you? He had to have-"</p><p>"Shiyu didn't teach me, my mother did, back at the Southern Water Tribe. And if all your servants can read, why would it shock you that I could as well?"</p><p>The ice in her voice seemed to focus his thoughts. "All the servants in the place are Fire Nation citizens." Katara hesitated, frowned, and then looked back up at him. A new glare settled into her features that rivaled his own.</p><p>"So because I'm not Fire Nation, you expect me to be less." It wasn't a question. Her lips pressed into a tight frown.</p><p>"Yes," came the blunt reply. Katara stood up tall, though her eyes still only came to his chin and clenched her jaw. Shiyu had never treated her this way; he never treated any of the injured warriors as less than the nobles who came in, as least not outwardly. This boy pushed her buttons, and because of it she was careless.</p><p>"You're wrong Zuko," Katara stated. She did not catch her slip until the prince lunged forward, captured her wrists, and spun her so her back was pressed to the wall behind the lounge. The book tumbled to the ground in a flutter of pages.</p><p>"I will not tolerate such disrespect. Especially from a servant," the prince growled. Fear like she had only felt when the two guards captured her in the alley flooded through her when his hands grew hot. Katara cried out and squirmed to get away. </p><p>"You will address me as <em>Prince</em> Zuko." His eyes narrowed as his hands tightened around her wrists. She could feel her skin starting to burn. "You are a lowly servant from the Water Tribe, I expect complete obedience. Do you understand?"</p><p>"Yes!" Katara cried out. She felt a dull throbbing in her head where it came in contact with the wall. The faint smell of burned flesh wafted through the air as Zuko's hands grew hotter still.</p><p>"Please," Katara begged. Her knees buckled, but she was held in place.</p><p>"Please what?" The prince asked. The thought of standing herself up and defying him had all but vanished. Even waterbending seemed too far to reach for.</p><p>"Please let me go, Prince Zuko," Katara plead. The young man dropped her wrists and she tumbled to the ground. Tears ran down her face as she sat cradling her injury. A string of blistering spots circling each wrist gave the illusion that she wore bracelets of red pearls. They were tender to the touch and Katara simply stared at them for a moment until she realized the prince hadleft her there, changed clothes, thrown his old ones on the floor, and crawled into bed in the other room.</p><p>Her voice was weak when she finally dared to speak, still refusing to look up. "Prince Zuko? Do you have a room for me to sleep like Prince Iroh did?" Silence hung in the room for so long that Katara worried she had asked the wrong question.</p><p>His voice almost sounded embarrased when he finally answered. "No.You can sleep on the lounge." She heard the sheet ruffle as the light from the candle across the room was extinguished. Only moonlight flooded into the room now from the second set of curtains he'd neglected to close. Katara walked back to the lounge, picked up her fallen book, and settled in for the night. The punishment had driven the lesson home; Katara would not be trying her luck anytime soon.</p><p> She could not remember the last time she cried for herself. Her tears stained her cheeks in the dark. From her position on the couch, the waterbender spotted the moon through the sheer curtains. Glancing over to the where the prince slept on his bed to make sure his eyes were closed, she sat up and lifted her clasped hands in prayer.</p><p>Head bowed, she asked the moon and ocean spirits for strength. A smile came to her face when memories of her mother washed over her. It had been years since the image had blurred in her memory; she did not focus on that. Instead, she remembered the feelings of love and safety that she felt with her. Katara brushed the trails away her tears had left. Smiling up at her nighttime guardian in the sky, she wished safety onto her father and brother before dropping her hands to her lap. She lay back down, still dressed in her daytime clothing, and fell asleep.</p><p>...</p><p>The next morning, Katara rose seconds after the prince. The sun was just peeking up from the horizon, but she was well rested. As he disappeared into the bathing room connected to his bedroom, Katara jumped up to change clothes. She ran her fingers through her hair to pull out the tangles and then stretched out her stiff limbs. She missed sleeping on a real bed already.</p><p>Zuko walked out of the bathroom, his hair still dripping wet from washing his face. Katara stayed clear as he moved to the dresser where she had just been standing and pulled on a shirt before he turned to face her.</p><p>The moment their eyes met, she glanced at her feet. She remembered his reaction when he lost his temper and she hoped to never repeat the situation from the last night. The bracelet of burns on each wrist would be her reminder not to cross him. The prince seemed to have a temper like a new flame in a fire pit; sometimes happily burning away, and then without warning sending sparks flying with loud popping sounds. He seemed calm now at least.</p><p>"Lu Ten never told me your name," Zuko stated almost hesitantly. "Considering you're my only servant, I might as well know yours."</p><p>"My name is Katara."</p><p>"Ka-tara," Zuko repeated, getting a feel for the foreign sounding word. She remained silent, still looking at her feet. She had yet to put shoes on, so she scrunched her toes to try and release her nerves.</p><p>Katara had no reason to fear any of her masters before. The world, she knew, was full of hazards, but she expected to be safe when serving as long as she didn't reveal she was a bender. Master Zu, Shiyu, and Iroh had never hurt her; they all led her to believe that she would be safe from physical and verbal harm in their company. Zuko, with his quick temper and youthful strength, blew away all the years of security she had stored.</p><p>"Yes?" She finally answered, not sure if him saying her name was him waiting to give her an order or not.</p><p>"You really don't know anything do you?" Zuko let out a pent-up breath. She noticed that he seemed to be trying to hold his frustration in check. It would take a lot more than one controlled conversation for her to feel safe though.</p><p>"I guess not. Tell me what I should be doing. I'll be glad to do it right." She looked up, pleading with him. The prince ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>"When someone addresses you, you answer with a prompt 'yes my lord' or a 'yes' and their name and title." Zuko explained. Katara nodded. She didn't have to agree with it; she only needed to know how to act to keep him from behaving rashly.</p><p>"Your tasks will be the upkeep of my room, laundry, and running errands or messages for me- I guess. You are free to leave the room as long as you have a task to do. Otherwise you will stay here." Zuko stated, he turned away for a moment before thinking of something else. "When outside this room you are to bow for any nobles or members of the royal family until dismissed or out of sight." Katara recalled seeing all the servants stopped in their tracks when Lu Ten led her through the palace.</p><p>"You do know how to bow correctly, don't you?" Katara demonstrated and heard him voice his approval; she was glad she could make him happy on that regard.</p><p>"I'll be around, so I expect you to do your tasks without prompting," he stated. Katara nodded. He moved to leave the room and got as far as the door before Katara called out to him with a question.</p><p>"Prince Zuko? Where do I take the laundry?"</p><p>"I'll have another servant show you," was his reply as he shut the door. Katara stood alone in the room, gathering her breath for a moment before adding the new clothing to the pile. She made his bed, which was a massive job. Not only was the bed big enough for three people, but it seemed the prince was a fitful sleeper. The silk sheets were strewn every which way, tangled and untucked. The comforter was no better, kicked all the way to the foot of the bed and slipping off on some sections. By the time she set the pillows in place, the door opened and a tall, thin woman appeared.</p><p>"You're the new servant?" Katara nodded and saw the look the woman gave the pile of clothes at the door.</p><p>"Prince Zuko has instructed me to make sure you know your way to the laundry. Follow me." Her tone was curt and condescending, but Katara scooped up the clothes and hurried after her. There wasn't much time for Katara to get a good look at her instructor over the towering pile in her hands before they arrived. The way was easy enough to remember, two lefts and right outside.</p><p>The large courtyard was full of flapping sheets hung out to dry in the sun. it was nothing like the others she had walked through on the way here. This space was not meant for noble eyes, it was purely functional. Katara got the hint. As the older women explained exactly how the great Fire Nation did their laundry, Katara looked longingly into the large basin of water. She was tempted to heal the blisters on her wrists, but she would not try anything with someone standing over her. Finally, the woman seemed to run out of instructions and simply hovered before speaking up again.</p><p>"Did they run out of servants that the prince was stuck with you?" She questioned. Katara noticed another set of female servants enter the courtyard, joking amongst themselves as they fetched clothing from a nearby line.</p><p>The woman scowled. "Because even though you may think you are, you're no servant. You're a prisoner of war, a slave, inferior to all Fire Nation. You should be out working in the fields or fighting in the Arena with the rest of your kind. Who did you sleep with to get here?"</p><p>"I don't-" Katara looked up from the clothing in the soapy water, confused. "I'm not-"</p><p>"You should count yourself lucky to be here in the palace. It's every Fire Nation citizen's dream to serve their Fire Lord." With that said, the woman turned on her heel and vanished. Katara turned her last comment over in her head, but it meant nothing to her, just as the previous statement confused her.</p><p>She'd never heard the phrase 'sleep with', so it meant not what it did to her as it did to everyone else. Likewise, the words whore and slut held no context, but slave and inferior did. She stood still for a moment, starting to think she had been very sheltered growing up away from all this inequality and hatred of anyone outside the Fire Nation. She had much to think about as she finished Zuko's clothing.</p><p>She ended up healing some of the blisters on her wrists, but was unable to complete the task before more servants walked in. She had already learned to ignore their stares. What made her so different anyway? Was it purely that she didn't look like them? If that was all it took, they would want her head if they ever learned she was a bender.</p><p>...</p><p>Since her tasks were relatively simple, Katara was back in Zuko's room long before him. She had more than enough time to finish the book Iroh had loaned her and to take some of the stories to heart. They were very different from her tribe's myths; these were mostly about honor and forbidden love, while the Water Tribe stories told of family and teamwork. She enjoyed the differences but soon realized that she would need to ask Zuko for more books if he had nothing for her to fill her days with. She could only watch the capital city out the window for so long before even that became boring.</p><p>He came back just as the sun set. Katara waited until he noticed her to ask.</p><p>"Prince Zuko. I finished the book your uncle gave me." She paused. "Is there any chance that you could get me another one?" Zuko looked at her and then the room. The clothing was put away and everything else was spotless. He had had not thought that she would complete his tasks so quickly. It took him forever to clean the room on his own. Either he needed to find more for her to do, or he could keep her occupied with books. The book idea seemed like less work at this point, since she liked them so much anyway. If only his mother hadn't recently taken on three new servants to fill the recent vacancies in Ozai's wing. It would have been easy enough to send her there with the rest of them. Luck had not been on his side, and his mother was unusually unhelpful regarding what to do with her. She seemed almost as stressed as he was lately.</p><p>Zuko turned his thoughts back to Katara. "What type of books do-?"</p><p>"Your uncle gave me this one about Fire Nation myths that I enjoyed," Katara answered slowly, "but I'll read anything that you can get. I don't mind." She was thankful he was agreeing to her request and would not push it by requesting something even slightly specific. Zuko nodded. That next morning, she found a pile of three books on the table besides the furnishing where she slept.</p><p>The next few days passed the same as the previous ones. The prince seemed to have no use for her aside from keeping his room clean. After the first washing, keeping up with the routine was simple. She flew through the books that Zuko presented her with. The prince was never in his room during the day and only came back at night to sleep, and it presented Katara with a risky opportunity, given she was growing more bored as each day passed.</p><p>The bathroom connected to Zuko's bedroom always had water; somehow, the Fire Nation engineers had invented a system to bring water up into a vat hidden in the ceiling. Once the lever was turned for the spout in the bath or the sink, gravity would bring the water down with no effort. It was always chilled, but Katara assumed that a land full of firebenders would not find that a big deal. The abundance of water in her new prison though, was almost a clear sign that she should practice.</p><p>Katara ran through her old forms and attempted to copy what she had seen recently in the Arena. The movements of her fellow tribesman had been frantic and wild, but with her free time, she learned if she slowed down her arms and simply flexed her wrists more, her bending was more fluid and had better accuracy. Katara learned to enjoy 'cleaning the bathroom' as she explained it to the prince when he was stunned at how it was suddenly clean. She could practice and make a mess without it being obvious, and it helped keep her mind clear.</p><p>Another week passed, and Katara asked the prince for another set of books while she got ready to do the load of laundry. He had not had another outburst at her, and slowly she no longer felt a rush of nervous tension whenever he was in the same room as her. She could still tell something bothered him, but she was not his mother and did not bother to find out what it was. Her request was met with confusion.</p><p>"More? Already?"</p><p>"You haven't given me much to do," she said under her breath. Zuko looked around the room; she knew he would not tell her that she had done a good job, so she kept his silence as praise. He had not told her anything she had done was wrong after the first set of instructions.</p><p>"Follow me," Zuko finally sighed. "Take that with you, it's on the way." Katara grabbed up the pile of clothing and followed the youngest prince out the door. She wondered where he could be showing her to. They moved down the corridor, took some turns, and stopped suddenly at another pair of double sliding doors. Zuko slid one door back, letting her look inside the room.</p><p>"This is my mother's reading room. If you need more books, you can come here and pick them out yourself." Katara nodded as he shut the door, trying to keep her grin under control.</p><p>"Thank you," Katara bowed. She was sure she looked humorous with her arms full of laundry as she bowed. Zuko nodded and walked off, leaving her to do her work as his mind wandered elsewhere.</p><p>"Remember to put them back where you find them." He called down the hallway. She nodded, even though she knew he would not see.</p><p>The thought of being able to pick out her own books kept her going through the day. Unfortunately, she ran into trouble doing laundry, having to deal with other maids and servants hogging the basin and the clotheslines.</p><p>She still did not understand why they treated her differently for simply being Water Tribe like they did. She was forced to wait for them to finish. She sat off to the side, listening to their conversations.</p><p>Their situations were anywhere near her own. They were Fire Nation citizens, free people as she had once been in her own tribe, long before she could even remember. Once they completed their tasks they were done unless they were called on again. She was trapped here. She counted herself lucky to not know the horrors the others of her tribe had most likely been subject to. Her life in the palace though, proved to the young woman that she was not as free as she thought.</p><p>Finally, the other servants finished and let Katara on her way to complete her task. It was late when the clothing finally finished drying on the lines. She folded it and returned each piece to its proper drawer in Zuko's room before she even let herself think about the library.</p><p>Before she came to the palace, she had only read Shiyu's books every now and then. She did not have the time to sit and enjoy story after story or legend after myth like she did now- not that Shiyu had any fun reading material like that. If anything, the prince had shown her that she could escape her life through the stories she read, even if he had not meant it. The idea of being able to read each one of the books was slightly dizzying, and since the youngest prince did not seem to have much for her to do anyway, she would not need to be bored now.</p><p>Walking to the door, she noticed the book Iroh had given her sitting on the desk. She frowned and moved to retrieve it; Zuko had said to return all the books she took. Why would this one be any different? She scooped it up and left the room. Once she got to the library, Katara hesitated. The prince did say that this library belonged to his mother. She wondered if there was more than one room stocked with books and if this particular book belonged somewhere else instead. Katara was tempted to see if she could find its home but realized she didn't know the palace well enough to even begin. She held onto the book as she reached the room and took her time selecting a handful of new ones. She made her way back to Zuko's bedroom. The hallways were empty.</p><p>Before she turned the last corner, she heard the door squeak. She paused and peered around the corner. The sun had already begun to set, so the shadows inside the palace threw many of the details into darkness. Katara still spotted the figure closing the door to Zuko's room and moving away. She swallowed. Who would be sneaking out of the Prince's room? was he in danger? Should she search for help?</p><p>And then she saw the figure turn into the light, as if checking the other hallway for witnesses. Her heart leaped. She would have recognized that demon mask anywhere.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the song "Monster" by Meg and Dia</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. No Turning Back From Here</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 12- No Turning Back From Here</strong>
</p>
<p>"I learned years ago that I couldn't save everyone, but I hadn't been a healer then."</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>The Blue Spirit stealthily jogged down the hallway and turned a corner. Katara hesitated for only a moment before realizing this was the only chance she'd probably ever get. It didn't matter that the blue spirit had somehow made their way into the royal palace. She didn't deal on it. She only wanted to make sure he got her thanks. She was grateful of his compassion. It did not occur to her that as she hurried down the halls that she would have attracted attention. It seemed that all the other servants had left the hallways clear; it was just the Blue Spirit and her. She came to a long room of columns with portraits of past Fire Lords lining the wall and spotted the Blue Spirit halfway down. Her footsteps sounded loud as she ran towards him and called out.</p>
<p>"Wait!"</p>
<p>The figure froze, slowly turning to face her as she came to a halt. There was a good amount of space between them still, but Katara continued to speak.</p>
<p>"I wanted to thank you. For saving my life." She bowed to him.</p>
<p>"What?" She heard him mumble. Katara blinked and looked up. She had never heard the Blue Spirit speak; he seemed to rely strictly on body language and hand signs whenever she encountered him before. Not only that, but his voice seemed familiar to her, even though the pitch seemed off and the mask muffled some of it.</p>
<p>Katara clarified, even though she didn't think she needed to. Surely he remembered? "You saved me- twice now. I wanted to make sure you knew how grateful I was." She touched her chest over her heart as she spoke, stepping closer. The Blue Spirit glanced around the room and fidgeted in place. Something seemed off. </p>
<p>"You're welcome," he finally said. Footsteps madeKatara to jump and look behind her. Another servant hurried down the corridor on the crossing hallway but did not notice her. When she turned back, the man in the blue demon mask was gone.</p>
<p>She sighed and returned to Zuko's room, thinking of the encounter. The Blue Spirit was such a stoic figure in her mind: strong, fierce, and almost inhuman in his ability to appear where he did and when he was needed. This man, and he was a man simply judging by his voice, was not the same. She did not understand how that was possible and let her thoughts carry her into sleep.</p>
<p>When Katara awoke the next day, she found the prince's bed unused. While she sometimes went to bed before he returned at night; he was always there in the morning to repeat her daily tasks. With nothing scheduled for the day, and no new clothing or messes to deal with, Katara made her way to the window before planning on reading one of her new books.</p>
<p>Noticing the crowds outside the Arena far below, she assumed it was the day of the fighting. She wondered if the Blue Spirit would be there today. She could not see inside the stadium from the window, so she made herself comfortable on the plush lounge with one of her books.</p>
<p>The day passed slowly.</p>
<p>Once late afternoon rolled around, Katara grew bored of her book on the origins of bending. She enjoyed it at first, learning where each element drew its strength from, where bending was first learned, and the spirituality of it all, but the second half of the book began to go into great depth about different stances and forms. After reading all the waterbendering information and some of the firebending sections, she was distracted.</p>
<p>The roar of the arena crowd echoed up to her room. She assumed the nobles were up now, fighting for fame or money or honor or whatever they wanted. Katara tried to picture the fight that could get such a reaction from the crowd. It had to be one on more than two at least. She assumed that the main fighter had taken out one if not two of the opponents without bending and was now struggling to defeat the final opponent.</p>
<p>In her mind's eye, she pictured the Blue Spirit against the remaining bender, a waterbender. She pulled stances from the book into her daydream, playing out the drawn-out battle where the Blue Spirit emerged victorious with only the dual blades he carried on his back. The cheering crowds pulled Katara back to the present; she assumed the nobleman won his match, but she was curious if the fighters survived it. She had only injured the bender in her mind; she did not have the heart to kill even the imagined enemy off on purpose.</p>
<p>Katara stood and moved to the bathroom, ready to move from imagined bending to the real thing. She had not had the chance to 'clean' the bathing room yesterday, and after reading the new forms in the book, she was eager to experiment. She made sure to shut and lock the door in case the prince decided to return midday. </p>
<p>She began without water, stepping through the forms to something called the water whip and the water bomb. Both were similar, the only difference being the shape the water took once manipulated. She tested the 'bomb' first. The sphere of water hovered between her hands until she launched it into the tub where it exploded in a great splash. It brought back fuzzy memories of snowball fights in the South Pole with her brother and the other children. If only she had known this back then. No one would have picked her last when they divided into teams then.</p>
<p>She moved on, struggling to master the whip. Katara did not remember how much time passed as she worked in the bathroom on her bending. The only thing she knew was that it was nearly dark by the time the door to Zuko's room was opened and closed with a soft thunk. She dropped her near- finally- perfect whip into the tub, collected all the water that dotted the walls and floor, and opened the door. She stepped into the bedroom and gasped. Zuko looked up at her from where he rested on the floor, leaning against his bed. His face could not hide the pained expression it held, no matter how he tried.</p>
<p>She hurried to his side. "Are you ok?" </p>
<p>She noticed the ordinary brown robe thrown over his unusual black clothing and moved to untie it. "What happened to you?" Zuko cringed when she lifted the cloak, wincing in pain. He hadn't told her off yet, and her mind shifted into the single minded focus she had when working at the Arena as she saw the blood. He was in bad shape. </p>
<p>"You need a doctor, Prince Zuko," Katara said, voice shaking as she spoke. His injuries almost made <em>her</em> feel faint. "Tell me where the palace medic lives, I'll go get him." She stood but did not get very far. Zuko's hand, the one not pressed to an open wound hastily bound on his thigh, gripped her own and kept her from leaving.</p>
<p>"No," he breathed. His voice was strained. Katara easily pulled her hand from his grip. She no longer feared his anger, not now; she was too busy thinking about how to save his life at this point. What had happened?</p>
<p>"You're badly injured Prince Zuko, you need help." She would not panic, even if she had to search the palace with no help, she would make sure he was seen by the doctor.</p>
<p>The prince tried to explain. "No- He can't know."</p>
<p>"Who?" Katara knelt beside him and began examining what needed to be done. The bloody wound on his thigh was most worrisome. The once white bandage was completely seeped through with his crimson blood. It was still bright. Either the wound was fresh- or it was deep and not clotting on its own.</p>
<p>Zuko winced. "The doctor- Anyone." He took a ragged breath. "No one can know." Katara wondered if he had suffered a head injury as well. She noticed the burn running down his neck and over his shoulder then. One of his ankles seemed larger than the other as well, but it didn't look broken- not completly at least. Whoever did this had gotten him good. Who would want to attack the prince?</p>
<p>Katara wondered to herself if she would be able to carry him and quickly decided against it. She knew his strength, and if he did not want to go, he would fight her every step of the way, even as injured as he was. Katara stood, pushed away the hand that tried to keep her from walking away again and moved to the bathroom. She returned with an armful of thick towels and a large cup of water.</p>
<p>"What happened, Prince Zuko?" She folded one towel and placed it under his injured thigh to elevate it and soak up the blood before she began unwrapping the bandage. The Prince remained silent as she worked. Katara let him ignore her question until she got to the actual injury. Fresh blood flowed as she pulled the bandage free, tearing the new scabbed edges. She grabbed for another towel and pressed it to the wound. She knew pressure alone would do nothing for an injury this deep. If she had been with Shiyu, he would have stitched it shut and let it heal that way.</p>
<p>"Prince Zuko," Katara repeated. She waited until his glazed eyes met her own. "You need to see a doctor, either the palace medic or Shiyu at the Arena or... These wounds are serious. You're going to bleed out. You've lost so much blood already, I'm sure." She wet a towel and placed it over his brow once she felt his forehead and noticed the fever. His body was struggling.</p>
<p>"No," Zuko sighed. "They'll know who I am. The injuries would be the same." Katara bega to lose her practiced calm. She knew he would die without medical attention. His eyes rolled up for a second, but he seemed to catch himself before he passed out.</p>
<p>"No one can know it was me." He mumbled again. "Lu Ten… so disappointed." He closed his eyes completely and Katara looked to the now red towel she still pressed to his thigh. His pants were stained red around where she had torn the black fabric further to get to the skin. She realized that even if she got a doctor to him at this point, he probably would not make it. There was only one thing she could see saving his life. Her heart raced just thinking about it.</p>
<p>Could she risk it?</p>
<p>The back of her mind told her <em>no</em>. He'd been rude and dismissive. He'd <em>hurt</em> her.</p>
<p>But did that mean he should die? Even when she might be able to save him?</p>
<p>She closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer to Tui and La before reaching for the cup of water she'd brought to try and get him to drink. She let it glow around her fingers since no one was watching and worked to knit the flesh closed and stop the bleeding. Her heart raced.She needed to stop twice to refill the water and change the towel she had used to try and bring down his fever. The room was dark, lit by only the glowing water.</p>
<p>She finally ran out of energy to keep going. The wound was nothing more than a shallow cut by then, sparsely bleeding. Katara steadied herself with several deep breaths before standing and lighting the candles in the room. Working in the dark was fine, but now she needed the light.</p>
<p>She eased Zuko down beside this bed on the floor, pulling the covers off and settling a pillow under his head. She tore one of the thinner towels and used the strips to wrap the healing cut on his leg. She ripped another one up as well and wet it to lie across the burn on his neck and shoulder. She had to peel back what was left of the fabric of the black shirt he wore, since it hung in burned tatters, but she uncovered the entire burn quickly. </p>
<p>Finally, she propped up his swollen foot on the remaining pillows and wrapped another cool towel around it, shoe and all to try and keep the swelling contained. Surveying her work, Katara felt her stomach grumble. The Prince seemed stable enough that she could leave him for a moment to fetch her evening meal; it would help to regain her strength. She left the room to head toward the servants' entrance to the kitchen.</p>
<p>It was not too unreasonably late, but no one ran into her on her way there, back, or as she grabbed a hunk of bread and some pieces of cooked meat. She entered the bedroom and found Zuko awake or at least conscious. She could not be sure how long she had sat over his injury to stop the bleeding; she guessed an hour or so, maybe more. Hi eyes were not completely focused, but they were open and followed her as she moved across the room.</p>
<p>"How are you feeling?" She nibbled at the cheese and put her hand out to check his fever without her usual caution. She only then noticed the blood on her clothing. At first, she was curious why her hands were clean but came to the realization that the healing water kept them blood free.</p>
<p>"Dizzy," he finally answered. Katara offered him a sip of water from the refilled cup, helping him sit up slightly.</p>
<p>"You lost a lot of blood Prince Zuko. You'll need to rest in order to recover. I did what I could but-" a flash of panic went through his eyes.</p>
<p>"You didn't tell the doctor, did you?" He grabbed Katara's shoulder, but his grip was too weak to do any harm. She sighed and pushed his hand free. He immediately went for the wound on his leg.</p>
<p>"No! It's still healing!" Katara panicked. She fumbled to stop him, but the Prince managed to push the towels aside and saw what remained of the injury.</p>
<p>"How?" He stuttered, staring the wound. The deep gash looked nothing like it used to. Now, only a thin line of red remained. The skin around it was tender and new, but at least it was not gushing blood anymore. He moved to touch the burn on his shoulder, but Katara caught his hand.</p>
<p>"Don't touch it," she ordered. "I didn't have time to fix your burn. I had to stop the bleeding. Tell me why you won't go to the see the palace doctor." Katara asked as she released his hand, realizing she gripped it. She offered him another sip of water, which he gladly accepted before laying back down.</p>
<p>"How did you fix me without stitches?" Zuko stared at the ceiling. He seemed awestruck</p>
<p>"You answer my question first," Katara stated. She would not be left in the dark on this one. While he explained himself, she could think of a miracle excuse. He knew she worked with Shiyu; her medical ability would hopefully not be questioned too far if she explained it was another special salve she made.</p>
<p>She repeated her question. "I want to know how you got so injured and why you refused to see a real doctor."</p>
<p>"You did a better job-"</p>
<p>"Stop avoiding the question," Katara snapped. She watched as he fought with himself over the answer; she peeled the wet towel off his burn, careful not to break the skin and replaced it with a new one soaked in cool water.</p>
<p>"Will you promise to tell me how you did it? Truthfully?" Zuko asked. His expression was softer now, curious almost. Had she ever seen him so open? Now it was her turn to pause and consider the consequences, would he pass judgment on her even after she had just saved his life? Was her question worth the risk?</p>
<p>"Yes," Katara nodded. She knelt beside him, rearranged the bandage on his leg, and turned to listen. Even with her promise, the Prince took his time gathering his words.</p>
<p>"I was in the Arena."</p>
<p>Katara nodded, that explained the nondescript black clothing that she had never seen him wear before. "So why not see a doctor?"</p>
<p>"I was in a mask. No one can know it was me. If I went to any medic, they would know who I was, since I'd have to take off the mask to get this burn treated." He pointed to the burn running up his neck and slightly along his jawline.</p>
<p>"Why is that so important? Why can't they know?"</p>
<p>Silence. He finally patted his sides, fumbling to find something. His hand seemed to find it, half tucked under the bed where it must have slide. He pulled out the mask and her breath caught.</p>
<p>"I fought as the Blue Spirit," Zuko admitted finally. Katara jumped backwards at his admission, catching herself on one hand.</p>
<p>She nearly shouted. "You!?" She shook her head and covered her mouth in shock. She could not believe it; it just was not possible. The Blue Spirit she remembered had been a man when she was just a child. She knew the prince was not much older than she was.</p>
<p>"You can't be," she mumbled. "The Blue Spirit has been fighting in The Arena for more than ten years."</p>
<p>"That was Lu Ten," Zuko explained. "We've been switching for the last few years to cover for each other."</p>
<p>"And you were the Blue Spirit last night? You were the one I ran into here."</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"I knew something was different. The Blue Sprit I knew never said a word, and he held himself a different way." She bit her lip. At least she knew who to thank now. Hopefully he made it back in one piece soon with Iroh.</p>
<p>Zuko closed his eyes and focused on breathing deep even breaths. "How did Lu Ten save your life?" Katara was content to tell him, maybe he would forget about his own question. Her story went against Iroh's, but there were larger odds at stake tonight.  </p>
<p>"I was kidnapped in the middle of the night from Shiyu recently, and the Blue Spirit stole me back. That's why I ended up with Prince Iroh."</p>
<p>When Zuko said nothing, Katara continued. "And years before that, the Blue Spirit was the one who brought me to Shiyu when I was little. I don't remember much, but I know that if he had left me alone, I would have died. I was starving, alone, and sick when he found me. I owe him my life." Katara bowed her head slightly as she asked another question. "Why were you taking his place today?"</p>
<p>The prince turned to her, watching as she shifted to check on his wounds once more.</p>
<p>"He didn't want anyone catching on that the Blue Spirit was originally him. He simply wanted to practice swordplay without anyone knowing. One day, when he got sick and was supposed to fight, I offered to fill in for him. That way, the Blue Spirit could fight and one of us is always in the audience or somewhere with witnesses. It helps that we don't firebend of course. But he wanted to be sure that the Blue Spirit fought while he was away. He just picked the worst day for it. I mean, I understand his reasoning since this was one of the largest turnouts but-" Zuko let out a deep breath, closing his eyes for moment. Katara was content to let him drift back to sleep, but her luck didn't hold. His golden eyes opened and fixed on her, studying her face, searching.</p>
<p>"I've answered your questions. It's your turn. How did you do this if you didn't get the palace doctor?" Katara bowed her head and twirled her fingers. She had no reason to trust this boy, but that look- her stomach did a flip.</p>
<p>"The same way I healed you after the Agni Kai in the Arena," she replied. When he gave her a look to elaborate, she did. She braced herself. "With waterbending." Katara watched the prince's eyes narrow. He didn't try to jump up and call for the palace guards or anything that would have her arrested and brought down to the arena.</p>
<p>"I didn't know waterbenders could heal," he finally said. She could hear the disbelief in his voice. The tendons in his neck were strained; he was trying his best not to show his nervousness. She wondered if he thought she was going to attack him; did he not know that if she wanted to hurt him she would have done it while he was unconscious? She could have simply let him die and no one would be the wiser. That wouldn't have even required bending. He'd have done it to himself.</p>
<p>"Neither did I," Katara admitted. She hoped she could calm him back down. "It was an accident that I discovered I was able to heal. "</p>
<p>"You know that by admitting you're a bender, you should be sent down to The Arena, right?" The prince stated. Katara nodded in defeat.</p>
<p>Zuko's gaze studied her face again. "Then why did you do it?"</p>
<p>"I promised I would. You told me your secret; one you were willing to die for to keep safe. So I gave you mine, one that will lead to my death if it gets out." Zuko nodded, looked down at his leg and then back to the girl who sat sullen before him. She had no tears to shed, it had been her own choice to admit it; she knew what she was getting into, but it was still hard knowing.</p>
<p>"I'll make you a deal, Katara," Zuko stated. She lifted her gaze, noting the gentle way he said her name.  He tried to sit up and winced as he flexed his burned skin. She moved closer and helped him lean back up against the bed so he could sit eye level with her.</p>
<p>"If you can heal me so no one can tell I was injured, then I won't tell anyone that you're a bender."</p>
<p>Katara paused, shocked. "What?"</p>
<p>"I need to be able to move and bend tomorrow for the summer solstice," Zuko explained. "If you can heal me so no one knows, then I'll keep your bending a secret. As thanks." Katara looked over his wounds again and nodded. There was a lot of work to be done. But- it was doable.</p>
<p>"You have a deal, Prince Zuko."</p>
<p>Katara stood, refilled the cup with water, and rewet the towels. She began with his ankle. In the time it had taken to regain her strength, the swelling had gone down slightly on its own. Proper elevation and the cooling towels had done their work.</p>
<p>She eased his shoe open just enough to get to his ankle, dipped her hand into the cup of water, and applied the glowing water. Zuko watched the water stick to her hand and then his ankle. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.</p>
<p>He remembered the tingling sensation from her healing before. She did a good job of covering it up back then. The glowing was new though, he did not seem to recall that before. Did it mean she was stronger now? Katara poked the swollen ankle as she worked, judging the effectiveness of her healing. When the water soaked into his flesh completely, Zuko attempted to move his foot, wringing his toes.</p>
<p>"How does it feel?"</p>
<p>"The throbbing is gone," he said in awe.</p>
<p>"Good," Katara nodded. She pulled the shoe off completely and wrapped his ankle in a cool towel. Just in case.</p>
<p>"The swelling has to go down on its own now," she explained. Zuko seemed to understand, even as he rotated his ankle back and forth, testing its mobility. Katara removed his other shoe and made sure the pillows under the one foot were properly fluffed. Katara turned to tackle the burn.</p>
<p>She would not lie to herself; it was pleasant sitting with him without worrying about doing something wrong. the prince was remarkably calm, and the happy fluttering in her stomach reminded her how close they sat. She forced the feeling aside.</p>
<p>"I didn't know you could fight other firebenders in the Arena without it being an Agni Kai," she stated. Katara helped him out of the black shirt, cringing when she saw the full extent of the burn. It began just above his jawline on the right, the side without the scar, and fanned down his shoulder into his chest. The skin was puckered and angry. It had most likely been a close range hit.</p>
<p>"It's unusual for the challengers to want face each other instead of one of the fighters," Zuko explained. Katara called fresh water to her hands and laid them on his chest to begin her work as he explained further.</p>
<p>"There were three of us there today. The moment the younger man saw my mask, he offered to face me instead. I agreed, thinking it would be an easy win. He looked untrained with the weapon he had been holding. I didn't realize that he was a bender as well." Katara was curious how the Prince could beat the Admiral in an Agni Kai but lose so badly to a civilian bender.</p>
<p>She focused on his neck and collarbone next, careful to keep the healing consistent. She felt her strength fading more quickly than before. It was obvious she was tired, but she did not mind. If anything, knowing her freedom depending on her ability was enough to push past her fatigue.</p>
<p>"That explains the burn. What about the gash?"</p>
<p>Zuko sighed "It was a bad fight." He looked down to watch her heal his chest. She wondered absentmindedly if he could feel her fingertips through the tingling of the cool water. She could certainly fell his muscles tighten.</p>
<p>"Did you win?"</p>
<p>"Eventually," Zuko nodded. "I got a lucky shot in and knocked him hard on the head with my sword hilt. Not before he caught me off balance enough to twist my ankle and stab me with the curved spear he had though. I truthfully wasn't expecting firebending either. The Blue Spirit only has short range attacks to work with." She let him talk as she finished off the burn. Katara knew how to heal burns and it took much less time than the gash in his leg. As her strength and the water ran out, she let her hands fall against his warm skin, catching her breath. It was not until she felt the deep rumbling when Zuko spoke that she realized her hands were still touching him.</p>
<p>"Are those burns-?" He asked, reaching to capture her hand, examining her wrist. The burns were almost gone by now. Katara looked away; luckily Zuko seemed to put the pieces together on his own. He looked ashamed. It almost made up for the fact he didn't outright apoligize- almost.</p>
<p>"Why didn't you heal yourself?"</p>
<p>"The other servant who showed me where to do the laundry saw them before I had a chance to heal them completly," Katara answered truthfully. She looked down at the marred skin. "They're almost gone now."</p>
<p>Zuko said nothing and dropped her hand; instead he touched where his burn had been. Finding naught but new soft skin, he looked to the gash. The pink line was all that remained. Katara watched him stand without assistance, looking up from where she knelt on the ground.</p>
<p>"You should rest," she stated. "Your body still thinks it's injured. You should let your fever fall on its own as well." He stood tall now, as if he'd never been injured. He was once again the man who could overpower her if need be, no longer the weak helpless prince who needed her to save his life. She doubted he would keep his promise; why would he need to? She watched as he touched each injury and found no pain, waiting for him to call for the gaurds.</p>
<p>"You did it. They'll never know it was me." The amazement in his voice washed over her. She stood, feeling the wave of exhaution pass over her.</p>
<p>"Who? Why did you go to the Arena when you needed to be healthy tomorrow?"</p>
<p>Zuko sighed. "The tournament today had a cash prize: one Lu Ten had his eye on. He goes through gold like you wouldn't believe." The prince shook his head, smiling at the thought of his older cousin. "I didn't think I'd get this injured that it would be a problem to take his place today."</p>
<p>"What made today special?" Katara had never heard of a cash prize for the nobles who fought at the Arena. Maybe Shiyu had mentioned it but she didn't understand. Coins never meant much to her.</p>
<p>"Tomorrow is the Sumer Solstice. The festival started today with the fights at the Arenal. Tomorrow, the throne room and the main hall will be open to the public for the main performance. My sister and I were called upon by the fire sages to do the bending tribute this year. It's a great honor, one I would have had to find a way out of it I had been injured, which would have been worse given how last minute my inclusion even was." Katara understood now why he wanted everything to be a secret.</p>
<p>"Which means I'll keep my end of the deal, Katara," Zuko added. "No one will find out about you being a bender, except for me."</p>
<p>She watched the prince snuff out the candles she had lit, and she put the remaining water and towels back into the bathroom. When she returned, the prince was already getting into bed. She followed suit in the other room, snuggling into the couch. She thought she heard a mumbled word of thanks in the darkness, but made no motion to reply in case she imagined it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is from the song 'Stand My Ground' by Within Temptation</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Tell Me Why</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter Warning: Assault &amp; alcohol (I guess that might need to be called out maybe?)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Chapter 13- Tell Me Why</strong>
</p><p>"Somehow, I feel I missed an important lesson about the motives of men."</p><p> </p><p>The sun had not even risen the next morning when Katara was woken by loud gongs outside. She yawned, seeing Zuko quickly sit up in bed, throw his legs over the side, and stumble to his dresser. He changed into a red silk outfit, the designs chased with gold embroidery, and hurried from the room without even glancing her way. Katara rolled onto her side, happy that he did not appear to be limping and that the swelling in his injured ankle had gone down. He seemed to be in perfect shape once more.</p><p>The youngest prince was gone long enough for the sun to rise over the edge of the volcano the city sat in and begin to peek into the room. Katara stretched once she woke, hoping she would not be too stiff from sitting so long in her single position healing the prince the previous night. She still had a hard time believing that he would break laws to keep his promise, but the thought was conforting all the same.</p><p>The watertribe girl opened her single drawer in the dresser to change clothes. She had just finished tying on her supportive underclothing when the door was flung open. She spun to find the prince in the doorway. Obviously not expecting to see her in such a state of undress, he tried not to turn bright red. She was unfazed; everything was covered. Katara held the shirt she had just taken off to her chest and noticed Zuko seemed to relax some. She filed the observation away for later.</p><p>"Did everything go well at the festival?" Katara asked.</p><p>"No, it hasn't fully started yet and we already have problems. I need you to get dressed. What are the fanciest robes you have?" He came closer as she pulled out each item of clothing Iroh had given her.</p><p>Zuko pointed. "Put these on." Katara pulled on the long maroon tunic and silken pants that she had worn to the arena when her fellow tribesman was killed and tied the yellow sash around her waist. Zuko waited impatiently as she smoothed the extra fabric around her shoulders and only frowned when he gave her a once over. She knew these clothing didn't fit her a well as her arena outfits, but she didn't think they looked that bad.</p><p>"What?" She questioned, trying to look in the small reflecting glass in the bathroom.</p><p>"The dragons on your collar. They tie you back to my Uncle. If you mess up or do something wrong, it reflects on him." Thoughts of the other animals on the servant's clothing came to mind. She wondered why it was really necessary to disguish between the servants that way. Who was keeping track of the times when they messed up? Zuko seemed to decide it would have to do for the time being and pulled her out of the room by her wrist.</p><p>"Wait!" she squeaked, surprised when he dragged her off without warning. "Where are we going?"</p><p>"You get to help out at the main hall. Two of my father's servants fell ill last night and can't work today, and we're always understaffed for this event since Uncle doesn't keep any servants to assist, except for you." Zuko explained as he pulled her down new hallways to the front of the palace.</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"All you'll be doing is refilling glasses. It's like refilling Uncle's teacup, except <em>everyone</em> has one." Zuko stopped outside a set of curtains, peeked through them, and called to a tall thin man dressed in similar robes to Katara. She noticed the hawk embroidery on his collar and thought about asking Zuko who's symbol it was. She decided against it. He seemed flustered this morning, and she remembered the last time he'd been like this. It wasn't something she'd soon forget.</p><p>"I brought you someone to help with serving in the main room," Zuko explained to the man.</p><p>"Of course, Prince Zuko," the servant bowed. "Thank you for your consideration." Zuko nodded in response, gave Katara a once over and then a hard stare. She was not quite sure what he wanted, so she bowed. When she lifted her head, she noticed he vanished, leaving her and the man alone.</p><p>"What's your name?"</p><p>"Katara," she replied. She thought him to be maybe in his 50's. His salt and pepper hair and graying mustache gave some of his age away, but he stood straight and proud and his brown eyes still held much youth in them.</p><p>"Kah-tara, I trust you know how to fill drinks?" He seemed un-phased by his strange pronunciation of her name. She took it in stride; at least he was not giving her dirty looks for simply being from the Water Tribe.</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"Good. You'll be on this floor then. There are pitchers of tea-wine in this storage room here." He pointed to the door nearby. "The wine is in the jugs marked with red. Those come out now until the performance is over. Once the benders do the Salute to the Sun, then you'll serve the fire-whiskey for the rest of the day. Those are marked in yellow. Understood?"</p><p>Katara nodded. "Yes."</p><p>"Good. Also, make sure the guests stay in the main hall. We can't have them wandering the palace after the event. If anything goes wrong or if you need more of anything, you come to me. My name is Stahn, I'm in charge of the event today. The others know where I'll be if you need help." Katara nodded and watched him disappear back through the curtains. She pushed one aside and took a quick look. The grandeur of the room took her breath away.</p><p>The open room was two stories tall around the edges and three in the center. Balconies looked over the edges of the room, supported by pillars of black marble. All the stone was polished to a high gloss, though most of it was hung with decorative curtains in browns and golds. The screen she hid behind was on the side of the room, almost tucked up in the far corner from the main door. An ornate throne which looked like it had not been used for much of anything in many decades sat nearby on the northern wall. It was raised up on a dais, surrounded by low burning flames.</p><p>The room was mostly empty save for the servants putting the finishing touches on the table décor and food arrangement. A group of giggling girls stood together waiting. They each held pitchers in their arms. She closed the curtain and walked to the room where the pitchers were stored.</p><p>Katara found the jugs of tea wine, pausing for a second to wonder what the liquid actually was. She knew what tea was but wine was something else entirely. The young girl was not about to sample it, but that did not mean she was above catching a whiff of the beverage as she poured it from its storage jug into the serving pitcher. It smelled of cherries and hot brewed black tea, though it was served cold.</p><p>Katara entered the large room with her full pitcher just as the large door opened. Other servants stood straighter, ready with cups, food, and beverages as the mass of people entered.</p><p>Watching the other servants begin to move around the room into more strategic positions, Katara wondered when the only event she knew of would begin. Since this was the capital of the Fire Nation, she expected nothing short of grandiose for the summer solstice festival. The crowd moved deeper into the room; the people never seemed to end.</p><p>"Tea-wine sir?" Katara offered the first group of men she came to. The closest man nodded and held out his cup to her. Ignoring looking at her, the other men in the group held out their glasses slightly when she approached. When all their glasses where filled, she moved off, making her way across the room. Men, women, and even children milled around the main room, gossiping with one another. Katara noticed as she filled glasses that the crowd seemed to be made up of citizens from all social and economic levels.</p><p>The nobles were easy to spot with their finely decorated dresses and tunics and even finer jewelry. The lower-class citizens weren't dressed in rags, but their clothing was faded and worn in spots. There appeared to be an even distribution of each social class in the room, all scattered about. No one seemed to mind sharing the space.</p><p>Katara returned to the storage room after fetching a new pitcher and walked passed two other serving girls. They stayed together, weaving through the crowd. Katara watched as one of them stopped to pour water into a child's cup while her partner refilled his parents' glasses with tea-wine. Their partnership worked well.</p><p>After switching out pitchers twice more, the crowd began to part. Katara finished pouring a man's drink and then followed the other servants to the back and out of the main room. She spotted Stahn gathering them all to give new directions.</p><p>"The Salute to the Sun is about to begin," he explained to the group of twenty or so servants. "After the Fire Lord enters, everyone with tea wine will take it to the table on the far side of the room." He tapped a man and woman on the shoulder near the front. "You two will keep serving it to the guests until we run out."</p><p>He seemed to do a mental count of the pitchers still remaining and nodded twice. "If you were serving tea-wine come back here to get the fire-whiskery when you're finished." Katara nodded along with the others and waited until she was cleared to go. When the procession of servants reentered the room, someone was speaking to the crowd.</p><p>"-of the summer solstice," he announced. The crowd cheered, hardly noticing the servants slipping behind people on their way to the opposite corner of the room.</p><p>"As is tradition, the Salute to the Sun will be performed when the sun reaches its zenith!" Katara paused to see who was speaking and moved between two guests. A man dressed completely in red with a strange hat and wide shoulder pieces addressed the crowd once more; Katara hurried to catch up to the others. She assumed he was one of the Fire Sages the prince mentioned.</p><p>"This year, after much anticipation, our very own Prince Zuko and Princess Azula will be performing for us." The crowd buzzed with excitement. Somewhere, music began to play; a single sungi horn with some stringed instrument filled the air. Waiting to put the pitcher with the others behind the table, Katara searched the room for the source. Instead, she spotted the dancers.</p><p>The crowd cleared out the center of the room, pressing up into the corners and around the pillars to see. Katara noticed most of the nobles and other finely dressed guests had moved upstairs to watch from the balconies. From above them on the southern wall, a great shaft of sunlight burst forth. it bathed the performers in golden light, catching on their metal accents.</p><p>The other servants paused in their movements to watch as well. Katara left the pitcher of tea-wine at the table and scoped out a good spot as she waited for new directions. A nearby pillar just behind the bulk of the crowd was perfect. She stepped up onto the column's base and could clearly see over everyone's heads while gripping the marble to keep her balance.</p><p>The music seemed to dictate the dance-or was the music just adding to it? Either way, the siblings moved in perfect time to the rhythm. Both dancers were dressed in pure white silk with gold edging.</p><p>They would have stood out even without being so different from the other guests colorwise though. The prince wore only a pair of loose pants, bound tight at his ankles, a long sash tied at his hips. The princess was dressed in similar pants and a midriff bearing halter tied top. For as much skin as both of them showed however, the outfits were not revealing. They were ceremonial; meant to show the lithe, toned bodies of the chosen benders. Katara realized this was why Zuko had been so worried about the burn. He was completely exposed. His injuries would match those given at the arena; people would ask questions. </p><p>Below them, standing just before the flames of the raised dais with the throne, Katara spotted Zuko's parents. They stood side-by-side, though neither looked to the other. The woman looked almost nervous, though she hid it well. Above the two of them, surrounded by constant flames, she saw the ancient Fire Lord, Azulon. His gaze was focused on the two dancers, his youngest grandchildren. It seemed he had a permanent frown etched onto his face. Katara shuddered and turned back to watch the rest of the dance.</p><p>The prince and princess faced each other, slowly mirroring the other's form and sliding into the next one seamlessly. The first burst of flame came from Zuko. It echoed out from his left foot along the ground like a shockwave, stopping inches from the crowd. Azula followed suit, her own blue flames surprising Katara. She heard some of the crowd's reaction as well. It seemed positive, though Katara was not sure how firebending could be blue.</p><p>The siblings moved through several more stances. Each time, their flames grew larger, extended farther. The dance was well choreographed, the elements of the firebending blended well with the more theatrical movements. Katara watched Zuko, searching for any sign he favored his uninjured leg or did not extend through his once burned side. Her examination only revealed how much practice had gone into this event. He flowed through the movements, almost as if they were second nature. He didn't wear the same ease on his face that his sister did, but no one could say he took a single mistep. </p><p>The music lifted and he spun, flames golden in the sunlight. Her breath caught at the beauty of the performance. Swaying, she noted the skill behind the movements once more. Something tugged at her. How would it feel to move in time to this dance alongside him? She tightened her grip around the column to keep in place.</p><p>After several minutes, the music sped up and Zuko and Azula stood once again facing each other in the center of the beam of sunlight. Suddenly, they both fell into a crouch, right legs extended forward, and sent a steady stream of fire at the center between them. The two flames mixed, spiraling upward, and spreading slowly. Katara noticed that the blue fire eventually turned back to oranges the longer it lived. She figured it had something to do with the temperature of the flames and force behind them. Katara had to stop herself from wondering about how burns could be different if the prince verses the princess was behind them and watched them step closer to each other. The flames kept coming until they both bent at the knee, just feet from each other, and lifted the spiral of flames from the ground. Katara watched in awe as the fire bunched into a giant swirling sphere.</p><p>Together, the siblings lifted it above their heads and turned on their heels with military precision to stand back to back. They held it there for a long moment, letting the crowd marvel at the magnitude of the fireball. It reminded Katara of the sun in the sky.</p><p>Both of them fell to the ground in a deep bow, foreheads pressed to the floor. Katara pressed her hand to her open mouth, stopping her gasp from escaping. The flaming miniature sun hung in the air above them for a long moment until it appeared gravity finally took hold, and the flames dropped. The fire splashed over the two dancers like a drop of molten water, rolling back into the air, and fading to wisps. Once the flames were gone, the prince and princess were already up and facing the Fire Lord in a bow.</p><p>The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping after the grand performance. Zuko and Azula quickly bowed to the crowd, then turned and left the great room through the main doors. As they exited, the fire sage came out and began speaking. Katara only then realized that the rest of the servants had made it back to the curtain already. She hurried over to them, trying not to draw attention to herself by running.</p><p>"-excellent performance by Prince Zuko and Princess Azula. Now the festival of the summer solstice can begin!" Katara slipped through the curtain as the crowd cheered once more.</p><p>Stahn handed her a pitcher, noticing her late arrival but saying nothing. She tried not to look guilty; she truthfully had not noticed the rest of the servants file out, assuming they were all still watching like her. Katara accepted the new pitcher and returned to the room to resume her task.</p><p>Zuko and his sister returned shortly after, each in their normal formal clothing. Zuko was back in the outfit she had seen him change into that morning. He held a cup, but even from the distance, she could tell it was unfilled. The room had emptied some, so it made traversing it easier. Most of the lower-class citizens were in the process of vacating the room after purusing the table filled with delicacies and sweet treats. The nobles and better dressed citizens remainded. </p><p>Only a few feet short of making her way to the prince, Katara noticed his mother approach him and the princess. She hung back, filling a nearby man's cup instead as she watched the interaction. The man paid her more attention than most, but Katara was not focused on him or his wandering eyes. A pair of other servaing girls gave the man a wide berth when he finally wandered away.</p><p>Lady Ursa put her hands on Zuko's shoulders, smiling warmly as she spoke a few words Katara was not close enough to hear, but she understood they were positive. The prince beamed. When their mother moved to Azula, the princess simply seemed to tolerate the congrats.</p><p>Zuko looked around, spotted Katara, and eyed the pitcher in her hand. She resumed her path to where the three of them were standing and filled the cup. Within moments a tall man approached the group. He stopped beside Lady Ursa. Katara finished pouring the drink, chanced a quick glance upward to see who towered over them and only then noticed his cup slightly stretched in her direction, as if it was too much work to truly show he wanted her to fill it. She had not even needed to look past his shoulders to knew who he was, but that did not stop her from being annoyed at the common reaction to her pouring drinks. Katara poured the beverage.</p><p>"What did <em>you</em> think of the performance father? Mom already-" Azula said before Ozai interrupted her.</p><p>"You did well Azula," he said. He turned to the youngest prince and nodded as well. "It was a good performance. One people will talk about for many years to come." Katara finished pouring the cup and turned to leave but halted when Ozai spoke.</p><p>"Wait girl. Aren't you Iroh's tea servant?" Katara turned back to him, glancing once at Zuko. He said nothing.</p><p>"Yes my lord," she finally replied. She kept her blue eyes on his well shod feet. While Zuko and herself seemed to have reached an understanding after she saved his life, she recalled his original lessons on acting like a proper servant. His father did not seem like a man to be trifled with, and she did not wish to be screamed at like the servant she'd overheard at lunch a few days back.</p><p>"Why didn't my brother take you with him?" Ozai questioned. Katara lost her voice for a moment; she wondered why it mattered to him why she was here and not there. It was not like she was his to command. At least, she didn't think she was. Not truely.</p><p>"Master Iroh," she began to say, her hands tightening around the jug, "left me here to complete a number of tasks before his return."</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"I am not sure," Katara spoke, her voice shaking. "It's not a servant's role to question her master."</p><p>"Ozai, its fine," the woman said gently, putting a hand on her husband's arm. She offered a small smile in Katara's direction before turning back to her husband. "She's Iroh's, she still wears his insignia. Leave your brother to his business." Katara could feel Ozai's eyes run over her for a moment more before he put the Fire Whiskey to his lips and drank. He walked away with Ursa, not a backward glance to be spared.</p><p>Katara stood rooted to her spot on the floor, focusing on her pounding heart rate. Finally after what felt like hours, but was probably only seconds, Katara turned and searched for more glasses to fill. Before she got too far, she heard the princess speak.</p><p>"Well Zuko, that's probably the most excitement that will happen all day." Katara walked out of range. Her deep steadying breaths did their job, and she returned to filling empty cups without mishap.</p><p>Time moved slowly, though she seemed to fill less cups then before. Maybe it was the strength of the brew; the smell itself was enough to give her a small headache and burn her nose if she breathed in too sharp.</p><p>She did notice that one man, a noble dressed in silk robes of burnt orange with silver embroidery along all the edges, sought her out several times within the hour to have his cup refilled. She watched him stumble back to his friends and laugh loudly, spilling some of the liquid as he went.</p><p>Drunkenness was new to Katara. She quickly figured out that the drinks the other servants and herself served were the cause of it when she passed a group of gossiping women. Streaks of grey lined their otherwise black hair.</p><p>"It seems the fire whiskey is strong this time," one snorted, "but you know what they say about the harvest every 7th year."</p><p>"It kicks every man's bum to the floor," another woman cackled, "and some of the boys as well when they sneak it behind their mother's backs."</p><p>"When will they learn to moderate their drinking?"</p><p>"You expect men to learn. How preposterous!"</p><p>"As long as no fights break out by the temple this year."</p><p>"I hope not," the last woman nodded. "They should know when they've had enough and head to bed. Fire whiskey is especially bad for their self-control. Do you remember-?" Katara walked past them, pouring the last of her pitcher into a younger man's cup. He seemed her age, maybe younger; his lopsided smile was mostly amusing until he nearly tripped over his feet when he walked away. Katara wondered if she should be telling people they couldn't have anymore. Serving the whole city a drink that made them lose their balance and self-control seemed dangerous. She would need to ask Stahn. Maybe he had a solution.</p><p>Katara headed back to the curtain to fetch a new pitcher of the drink. She moved into the quiet of the hall, only then realizing how deafening the crowd's voices had become. She was sure that they had not been this loud to start with. Taking a moment to herself, Katara closed her eyes and set the empty pitcher down. A few breaths were all she got before the curtain swished opened and closed again. The change of volume woke her from her self-imposed break. She turned and saw the one man who she assumed was out-drinking everyone else at the festival.</p><p>"Sir," she called, not quite sure how to deal with an errant guest. She had been warned it might happen, but was still not sure how to deal with the event. "The festivities are back in the main room. I'll be right back to get you another drink. Please go back inside with the other guests. This area is off limits."</p><p>Expecting him to follow her request, Katara pulled open the door to the storage room. A hand pressed it shut with a thud, appearing over her shoulder. As she looked up to the same man, now inches from her, she felt his other hand rest on her hip.</p><p>"But I don't want to go back. You're out here," he smiled. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and crinkled her nose in disgust. "I want to be out here with you."</p><p>"Sir," Katara began. The man pressed her hips against the door, causing it to rock on its hinges and bang against the frame. With the hand he had slammed the door shut with, he ran his fingers through her hair. He stepped closer. She could not back away any further.</p><p>"Stop," Katara ordered. She tried to push his hands away and step free of the unwanted embrace. She glanced up and down the hallway; it was empty. Should she call for help? Would anyone hear over the noise in the main room? The guest frowned, swayed in place, and moved his hand from her hairline, which hung mostly lose except for the front most pieces which she tied in a small bun in the back. It wasn't a Fire Nation topknot, but it succeeded in keep her hair from her face. His fingers touched her jaw line; Katara shivered without meaning to.</p><p>"You've been serving me, making me happy all day, my dear," he smiled. "But there's a better way you can serve me." Katara struggled and he caught her hands in his own, pressed their bodies together, and planted his lips over hers. The water tribe girl froze at the new sensation. She tried to force her head back and away from him, but only succeeded in banging it against the door. The taste of fire-whiskey numbed her lips. Her heartbeat pounded in her chest. Pressed up against her, she was sure he could feel the hammering.</p><p>The entire length of their bodies touched, her sandwiched between the wall and this older nobleman. He bit her lip and sucked with more force than she thought necessary, but it gave her a chance to call out. The man gripped her wrists tighter and growled, covering her mouth once more. His tongue flicked across her teeth as his hips pressed squarely up against her own.</p><p>Then, Katara felt movement near her hip even though his hands were wrapped around her own. Her blue eyes glanced up and down the hallway again through the man's black hair, hoping one of the other servants would come out for a refill and know what to do. The jug beside her was empty and there were no puddles to bend in the palace. She knew the room behind her was filled with the alcoholic drink, but she had never bent water she couln't see before. She couldn't focus and screamed into the forced kiss.</p><p>In all her life, Katara could never remember feeling so helpless then these few seemingly unrelated instances when she had been cornered. She would risk bending to get free- even at the heart of the Fire Nation palace, but the lack of water made it a useless choice.</p><p>What made her situation worse, was that she had no idea what drove this man. Understanding he was drunk was one thing but choosing to press her up against a wall and kiss her was the confusing part. It was a similar situation to when the two guards found her alone in the city at night. The man pulled away from the kiss and stared as best he could with his glazed over eyes at her face. He wore a dopey smile as he spoke.</p><p>"Don't scream now." He pressed her own arm against her mouth, holding it by her wrist, while he moved to untie her sash and her folded robe came open slightly. Katara thrashed at him, finally getting a kick to his shin to connect.</p><p>"Bitch," he cursed. He leaned against her to keep her still, his strength only seemed to increase with the injury to his person. Her next few kicks were not so lucky. Tears pooled in her eyes as she screamed out against her own skin. Then, what the man did made her knees buckle. His hand slipped inside her clothing, under her silk tunic, and found the skin of her stomach. She felt him touch the cloth of her undergarments, trying to push them down off her hips. </p><p>He didn't get far. Brilliant red flames splashed against the tiled floor at his feet. The man leaped up and away, releasing Katara.</p><p>"Step away from her," a voice commanded. Katara, without the support the man gave her, crumbled to the floor against the door. She saw the youngest prince step out fully from behind the curtain, still in his bending stance as he approached the man. The nobleman was several steps away from her now, standing facing the prince.</p><p>Katara watched in a daze.</p><p>"Get out," Prince Zuko commanded.</p><p>"But my lord."</p><p>"Get out. You went after MY servant, against my wishes. You should be grateful I'm letting you leave in one piece." Zuko gave the noble a quick glance, to which the man held a protective hand over the tenting fabric of his pants.</p><p>"But my Lord, she isn't even your servant, but Prince Iroh's whor-</p><p>"You'd rather cross the Dragon of the West?" Zuko questioned, ignoring for a moment the unstated insult about his Uncle's honor. The nobleman went white and bowed.</p><p>"No, no of course not." Fear crept into his voice.</p><p>"Now. Leave. I don't want to see you in the palace EVER again. Do you understand?"</p><p>"Yes my Prince," he nodded, bowing as he edged around Zuko and vanished into the main room. His fear seemed to have cooled off his passion, so Zuko had no need to torture the man with stories of his uncle's punishments on the battlefield; instead, he moved to Katara. She satwhere she fell, staring blankly across the hall at the opposite wall.</p><p>"Are you ok?" Zuko asked gently. When she did not respond, he asked, "Katara, did he hurt you?" The girl looked up at him, tears staining her cheeks. She could see he feared the worst. What the worst was, she still did not know.</p><p>"I-I don't know..." she muttered more to herself then him. When her response only brought confusion to his face, she tried again. "No… he didn't hurt me. He just scared me." She wiped her tears and sniffled. Zuko watched as she adjusted her robes tighter and retied the waist scarf back to where it was supposed to be. Zuko tried to process what she said and failed, but she accepted his hand to stand. She moved to fetch the empty pitcher.</p><p>"Wait one second," he sighed. He stood her next to the wall and entered the storage room. He walked out with a smaller pitcher and poured the liquid into his cup that he had tucked into his belt.</p><p>"Drink this," he stated. Katara accepted the liquid and took a sip without thinking. The moment the amber drink touched her lips, she sputtered and stopped.</p><p>"This is fire-whiskey!" She nearly shouted. "I don't want-"</p><p>"Just drink it. It will help." Katara had no strength left to fight him and drank the cup's worth in a few swallows. The liquid literally burned her throat and mouth as she drank it. She choked once but handed the cup back empty.</p><p>"Good," Zuko nodded. He poured a second cup, but before she could refuse him, he downed it. The firey drink did not seem to affect him as it did her. He took a deep breath and looked her then, "Your new task is to follow me and fill my glass only. None of the other serving girls work alone, so you probably shouldn't either. Not after that." Katara nodded, grabbed up the smaller serving container and followed the prince back into the main room. Just before Katara could step through the curtain, Zuko stopped her and looked her up and down.</p><p>"What?" Her throat was still raw from the whiskey, but at least she'd wiped away all her tears. Zuko reached out and adjusted her tunic, smoothing out wrinkles bunched under her waist scarf. She flinched at the contact.</p><p>"Easy," he said, drawing back. "I don't want everyone seeing you follow me out from the hall looking- so disheveled. I'm not in the mood to give anyone ideas for more gossip." Katara was about to ask him what he meant but stopped when he reached out again and pulled an errant strand of hair from her face. It had fallen out of her bun. The action left both Zuko and Katara staring at his hand and then each other. Zuko reddened, turned around, and pulled aside the curtain.</p><p>"Let's go." The curtain swished shut, but Katara hesitated. She felt the heat in her cheeks and knew they were flushed like the prince's. The fluttery feeling was back. Taking a calming breath and blinking away the remaining moisture gathered in her eyes, she followed after Zuko.</p><p>They walked through the room, stopping every now and again when nobles and other visitors stopped Zuko to talk. Katara refilled Zuko's cup and waited a few steps behind him. He motioned for her to fill another's cup only once. It was much easier to pay attention to only him as opposed to the whole room. After talking with a handful of people, Zuko moved to the main door and walked down the hallway. Katara noticed the other servers nearby watching her follow after him. she hoped Stahn would not goi looking for her if she was assisting the prince.</p><p>While she continued to keep pace with him outside, Katara thought about what Zuko had done for her. The nobleman who had cornered her had kissed her; she knew that much. It was something her parents had done, and GranGran had given her kisses before she fell asleep each night, though on the forehead and never as rough. At least the fire-whiskey Zuko had given her had burned away the feeling of that man's lips on hers. Refraining from touching her lips, Katara focused on the back of the prince's head as they wandered through the crowd. </p><p>It was crowded. Above, paper lanterns glowed even in the sunlight. Children raced between a sea of adults, laughing. Scents of food filled the air. A spiced drink stand that they passed made Katara wonder how many beverages could be made with alcohol. The liquid she had sampled still left her throat sore, though now she could feel a tingling in her lips and forearms. It wasn't unpleasant, just strange.</p><p>It brought her mind back to her unsolved question. <em>Why had he done it? What had the man been trying to accomplish with his actions</em>. She certainly didn't feel the need to rush someone in the street after drinking the cup of the same stuff. His motives had to lie outside the drink, maybe even before the drink, but it was still a mystery to her. Katara nearly bumped into the prince when he stopped in the middle of the street.</p><p>"Katara," he stated, holding out his cup. She dutifully filled it with fire-whiskey and proceeded to fill the cup of the man he spoke with at the prince's direction. She wondered how he could enjoy drinking the vile liquid. She mused absentmindedly if she would have liked the tea-wine better. At least she knew-and liked- one of those ingredients.</p><p>Zuko seemed to know the older man from somewhere, since their conversation was deeper than the festival and the weather or his grandfather's health. She zoned out again, watching the citizens of the Fire Nation enjoy their festival.</p><p>Most of the food was familiar to her, though anything with too much heat she was not found of. Further down the road, a great 'fountain' of a fire bender stood; flames constantly poured from his feet, one lifted in a kick and the other planted.</p><p>Katara pushed her hair from her shoulders, wiping at the sweat forming on her brow. The summer solstice was typically the hottest day of the year. The sun had been steadily heading down in the sky since the siblings' performance, but it was still early.</p><p>For the rest of the day, Katara followed Zuko, constantly keeping his cup full as he ran into people. The fact that he knew a lot of people should not have surprised her, but after a while it became apparent that they were mostly just seeking him out. Several noblemen with their wives and daughters in tow spoke with him.</p><p>Katara would have found it humorous if she had not noticed Zuko begin to sway even when he tried to stand still. Being in the sun and only drinking what she gave him had his words slurring together when he spoke too quickly. The prince developed a habit of running his fingers through his hair; even tied as it was. Katara shortly realized it was the drink making him act like this, but she did not know if she could deny him. She was thankful when he turned back towards the palace as the sun fell to the horizon in the sky.</p><p>The walk back to the palace was long. The fact that the prince and half the other people in the streets were swaying back and forth as they walked, even stumbling, was no help. The prince said something which Katara could not hear over the noise of the crowd, but it did not seem to matter. His eyes were fixed on a pair of women ahead of him. They walked arm-in-arm, giggling, and turned a corner. Katara wondered what he said for only a moment until he held out his cup once more.</p><p>"That's the last of it, Prince Zuko," she said, showing him the empty pitcher once his cup was filled most of the way up. She noticed his eyes were unfocused, the edges hinting at bloodshot as he looked down at her. She could smell the whiskey on his breath when he breathed out and tried her best not to flinch. The memory was too recent, too raw, but not complete. Without the knowledge of the man's intentions, she wasn't quite sure how she should act about it. Fearful? But of what? Men? But Zuko had saved her and he was a man. She felt cautious mostly. The crowd thinned.</p><p>A glance to her right almost stopped her in her tracks. Between two buildings in an alleyway were a man and a woman. The man had his hands under the woman's tunic, her brown sash rumpled on the ground at her feet. The man kissed her on the lips, pressing his body close. Katara could not look away and wished the prince would walk slower, but he seemed to have found his stride. Katara then noticed the woman wore an open-mouthed smile. Her head titled back to rest against the brick building at her back, and his hands laced through her hair. The man began to undo his pants but the scene was vanished from view as Zko turned a corner and she hurried to keep pace.</p><p>Katara's heart raced in excitement. What she had just seen was so similar to what happened to her. Now she was even more curious. The woman seemed to be enjoying herself if Katara had seen correctly. Was <em>she</em> supposed to be smiling, her head tipped back and her eyes closed? Was that the correct response to a man's embrace in that situation? She saw the man's hands originally disappear under the women's dress and wondered why. Though the biggest question was when he moved to loosen his own pants. <em>Why would he need to take off his pants</em>?</p><p>She thought to herself about what she knew of boys and men. It was not much. She knew they could not bear children, thus didn't bleed. That whole concept still intrigued her since Shiyu would not elaborate, saying it was for another night. That night had never come, and she did not press it. She also knew they were unusually sensitive if they got hit between the legs. She could still recall the time she dropped what she had thought was a snowball in her father's lap back the South Pole, but it had been a large chunk of ice instead. She had laughed at his pain, not knowing any better and only thinking he was joking.</p><p>She didn't know anything else that would be so glaring that she would miss it. She had never changed diapers with GranGran at the Zu household, never accompanied her father and brother to the steam huts in the South Pole, or even seen a man without his pants at the Arena to know what she was missing. Katara was pulled from her thoughts as Zuko tripped on the first step up to the palace. There were only five steps at this entrance. He caught himself, miraculously not spilling any of the remaining whiskey he still held in his cup. Katara helped him sit down to catch his breath.</p><p>The prince's face was flushed red and his normally alert eyes had trouble focusing on her. Katara watched as he brought the cup to his lips, drank a sip and then spilled a good deal down his chin and onto his outfit. Looking around for advice or help on how to deal with him in his current state, everyone else seemed to still be back in the town's center by the flaming statue where loud laughter and dancing filled the streets.</p><p>A firework exploded in the air, both Zuko and Katara jumped. The sky had only begun to fade to dark blue, bidding the sun goodnight and the moon to rise. For all her time in the Fire Nation, Katara had never seen a firework or been to a festival. She'd heard them at the Arena, but her view of the sky had been obstructed. Shiyu was always gone on days like this. Now she knew why. She had not known they existed with the Zus since he had not taken her and GranGran to anything other than the Arena. Katara smiled when another one burst into the air. Shiyu explained fireworks were made with exploding packets of blasting jelly mixed with color and fire powder. For something so simple, the were beautiful. Her rest was short lived; the prince struggled to stand. She rushed to his side before he could tumble and helped him get inside.</p><p>Katara quickly figured she could not carry both the empty pitcher and support the drunken prince. Making a decision, she set the serving pitcher near a wall, hoping no one would trip over it and walked Zuko back to his room. With her arm wrapped around his waist and his own slung over her shoulders, Katara tried her best to get him to his room without incident.</p><p>It wasn't easy; the prince tripped over his own feet several times, but Katara managed to keep him upright. With one hallway to go, Zuko began talking.</p><p>"What room are we going to? This is a long way-" he slurred. He shifted, trying to walk by himself. </p><p>"We're going to your room." </p><p>"my room- you know which room I like-" His words faded and Katara looked up to see him squinting at the hallways. "We're going the wrong way." </p><p>Katara knew there was no way he was going anywhere in his condition other then his room, and she was most certainly going the right way for that. The drink must have effected his memory as well as his coordination.</p><p>"We're going back to your room Prince Zuko," Katara said. "You spilled fire whiskey on your clothing and need to go to bed."</p><p>The prince laughed. "That was good fire whiskey. It must have been a hot year. Are we at The Spitfire already?" Katara stumbled.  Where he had gotten the notion of going to that place?  She sincerely hoped sleep would cure him. Zuko reached for the door Katara led him to and walked inside without her help. His footsteps were heavy, but he made it to the bed. He stood with his back to her for a moment, one hand gripping the bedpost for support, the other on the comforter. Katara wondered if the effects were wearing off like it had for her after a short while. She hoped so.</p><p>Though, her words had never begun to slur and her balance had not been affected. She turned her back to him and shut the door to the room. Before she could turn, Katara felt him embrace her from behind, hands fisting in the loose fabric over her breasts.</p><p>"Zuko?" Katara asked, her voice an octave too high. She felt his body pressed up against her own. His hips rocked against hers.</p><p>"What are you do-ing!?" She asked, just as the prince scoped her up and tossed her onto his bed, where he proceeded to cover her with his body. He surprised her by covering her lips with his own.</p><p>To Katara, it seemed he was trying to sate some unreal hunger through his kiss. She felt his hands glide over her breasts and down her waist to her hips. The most unusual sensation came over her as her body jumped of its own accord.</p><p>With their bodies touching, Katara felt a similar sensation against her thigh as she did with the nobleman in the hall. The prince pushed up the fabric to her tunic and pulled at the waistband of her pants, all without releasing her from the kiss. The cool air against her stomach made Katara push him away. Her lower lip felt puffy from his last bite.</p><p>"Whatever you're doing Zuko-," Katara began to say, trying to push him off.</p><p>"It is not a servant's role to question her master," the prince echoed with a grin. Katara frowned, but it did not seem to deter him. Even though he wavered as he stood, his slurred tone was playful. He captured her lips again, deepening the kiss as she gasped.</p><p>Zuko stepped in-between her knees, struggling to pull her waistband past her hips. Her skin flushed with goose bumps. She could feel him between her thighs, rocking against her center. The warm solid mass she felt before seemed to be larger now, but what it was was still a mystery. Her body seemed to hum in anticipation, though she wished he would leave her pants alone. She covered his hand with his own and easily readjusted them. His body seemed too loose to resist her.</p><p>Katara was more excited than nervous now; she wanted to know what the next part of whatever he was doing was. While her heart raced, Katara did not feel the fear she felt in the hallway. This was different. She just wished he would tell her what he was doing. Zuko freed her lips and moved down her neck. One hand found a breast and gave it a firm squeeze. Katara saw stars as he ran his fingertip over its peak, arching her back without meaning to.</p><p>"What did you do?" She breathed as she closed her eyes. Her body reacted in such new ways that any and all of her fear had taken a backseat. She was only afraid of what the prince would do when he was angry. She had been given no other reasons to be fearful of him in his other moods.</p><p>Katara heard the sound of fabric rustling and falling but could not see what the sound belonged to. Her focus flew back to the Prince when he finally figured out her waistband and tugged it successfuly past her hips. His hand moved to her undergarments. She squirmed, sending her hips away from his hand, but rubbing against him in the process. Zuko groaned and bit down hard enough on her neck to make Katara flinch.</p><p>His movements to undress her completely made her reconsider her trust. She could clearly remember her mother, father, and grandmother all telling her when she was little that some parts of her body were only for her. As long as they were covered, like her breasts in their bindings that morning, Katara had no reason to feel nervous. But the youngest prince made a move to reveal one of those areas, and Katara would have none of that.</p><p>His hand tugged at the edge of the fabric. Instead of deflecting it this time, she gripped his wrist and pulled it away. He didn't fight her. She moved to explain. "No. I don't-" The words seemed to work like magic. Their skin to skin contact was gone immediately. Katara breathed a single sigh of relief and shut her eyes for a moment. She heard Zuko stumble to his drawers, open and pull something out of them. When she opened her eyes, the door to the room swung closed. The prince was gone, leaving Katara more than confused.</p><p>She sat up on his bed, feeling tense and noticed an unusual warmth between her legs. She readjusted her clothing for the second time that day. Her thoughts got the better of her. Why had he suddenly stopped? Had she reacted wrong? She just wanted to know what he planned to do. She had no previous experience to draw on, no one to gossip about the task with, or no one to walk in on to find out. The fact was plain that she was unknowledgeable about whatever Zuko had been about to do. It was obvious to her now that many people knew about whatever this was, and it seemed to be common knowledge. Knowledge that she did not have.</p><p>Katara brought her knees to her chest. She would get the answer out of him even if it killed her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the song "What do You Want from Me" by Cascada</p><p>As a note for anyone who might have worried: I know I've made Fire Nation men to be horrible people in general, but I refuse for my MCs (even a teenage boy, ei Zuko) to lack that same morality. I might be mean to my characters, but this IS a Zutara story. :) Otherwise, hopefully you enjoyed the newest chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. I'm Yours Tonight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter warning: lemony goodness and teenage awkwardness (does anyone actually say 'lemon' for a sex scene in fanfiction anymore?)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>-Chapter 14- I'm Yours Tonight</p><p>"I don't think he'll be avoiding his room again anytime soon."</p><p> </p><p>Katara woke the next morning from dreams of flaming oceans. The two elemental forces were evenly matched even as the ocean rolled and foamed. She was not quite sure what to make of it; her mother had been the one to tell her what her dreams and nightmares meant. It had not been a special power, just a good sense of intuition. She felt her eyes water at the memory and touched the blue choker -usually hidden- at her neck. Katara wished more than ever that her mother was here to explain what was going on.</p><p>Remembering where she was, she quickly looked up at the head of the bed and found it un-slept in by the prince. Embarrassment colored her features that she'd fallen asleep where he left her. Standing in a single swift movement, Katara walked into the bathroom. She caught sight of herself in the reflecting glass in the corner as she changed out of her sweaty robes from the day before.</p><p>Before coming to the Fire Nation, Katara had never seen such a clear mirror. They had little ones in the South Pole, but they were typically foggy or warped from the extreme temperature changes. This full-length mirror stood against the far corner, sandwiched between two large plants in bronze pots. The Water Tribe girl stood half-naked before it. The sunlight provided by the eastern facing window opening warmed her skin. it was soothing enough that she was encouraged to strip down to nothing.</p><p>Katara was not sure how she felt looking at herself without her clothing on. It was something she never thought to do, but after last night, she was curious what someone else would see. She ran her hands down her sides, following the curve in her waist down to her hip bones just as the prince had done.</p><p>Just the memory of the stirrings he evoked gave her more goose bumps then the cool morning air. The sheer curtains behind her ruffled in the breeze, startling her for moment. When she turned back to the mirror, she spotted the mark on her neck. It looked like a bruise, but if she looked hard enough, Katara was sure she could make out teeth imprints. The memory of the bite brought prickles to her skin. She touched it, turning her neck.</p><p>Finally, Katara shifted her attention to the source of her confusion with last night's events. Unless it was her moon time, Katara never really gave this part of her body any attention out of the ordinary. It was confusing to her why anyone would want to see it either.</p><p>She dressed and moved to the main room, wondering when the prince would be back. These questions about his actions burned hotter than any flame, and she would have them answered.</p><p>She nearly tripped over Zuko's discarded clothing from yesterday. The pieces still smelled of fire whiskey, so she gathered them with the other washing she did not have time to do before and proceeded to the courtyard. She hoped he'd be back by the time she was finished.</p><p>With the festival over, the palace fell back into its typical routine. No longer were normal citizens seen in the hallways and servants were back to their usual tasks. The day passed without event.</p><p>Zuko did not return to his room.</p><p>The next morning, Katara allowed herself to worry. She wondered if he had gotten hurt playing Blue Spirit while drunk and was dying on the streets from his refusal to seek medical attention. Shaking her head, she remembered only three days had passed since the last arena fights, there were a total of six days between them. She considered that he may just be avoiding coming back, but she knew not why. Either way, there was nothing she could do, so she curled up near the window with one of her books to wait.</p><p>Near noon, just before Katara was ready to get lunch, there was a knock on the door. She sat up and waited for it to open. The prince wouldn't knock on his own door, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him answering it when he was away. The person knocked again, this time with more force.</p><p>"Prince Zuko? There is an urgent message from the warfront about your uncle and cousin in the sitting room. Prince Zuko? Are you in there?" Katara sat ramrod straight, holding herself back from answering the door. She doubted the messenger would even give her the message, but she wanted to know what it said. Her mind was made up for her when the footsteps disappeared in a hurry down the hall. Katara did not know when Zuko would return to the room anyway; it was probably best the man try to find the prince himself.</p><p>But now, as she walked to the kitchen to get lunch, she worried for Iroh and Lu Ten. An urgent message could never be good, or else the whole city would know by now and be celebrating some major victory. As much as she was completely against this war that had torn apart her family and stolen her away to this foreign land, she did not want the two princes to die. They had both been good to her in their own ways.</p><p>She decided to send a prayer to Tui and La when she returned to the room to keep them safe and guide them. It did not occur to her that others may have thought praying to the moon and ocean spirits for a pair of firebenders was crazy, but to Katara, Iroh and Lu Ten needed what the spirits represented. They weren't just for the moon and ocean. Thye brought protection and safe travels. That much she remembered. She ate and returned to the room.</p><p>The rest of the day, Katara practiced her waterbending in the bathroom. No one knocked on the door again looking for the youngest prince, so Katara assumed he was in the palace somewhere and they had found him. He did not return again that night. It surprised her how lonely she felt without his presence.</p><p>The next morning, Katara decided enough was enough. She dressed in the comfiest of her serving outfits- though the pants and tunic were due for a wash, and left the room in search of the prince.</p><p>Katara had no idea where to even begin. The palace was large, and she only knew certain hallway. The prince who probably knew all his home's secret passages and shortcuts. If he chose to use one, there was no way she'd find him. Taking a deep breath, she set off. She wandered hallways and peered into gardens for the next hour. What could all these rooms really be used for? Surely no one lived in them all.</p><p>She stumbled into another large courtyard, the hallway opening into a covered path. A single tree stood guard over a pond. She saw two figures in red, one sitting, one standing near the water's edge. As Katara continued to walk the path, she finally saw the two women's faces. She recognized Ozai's wife and daughter and silently wondered if either of them knew where Zuko was. She wasn't sure if it was smart to march over and ask, especially knowing the young princess was a superb firebender who might not take kindly to being approached out of the blue by a servant. Their conversation drifted to her as she passed them.</p><p>"-taking the news badly," Princess Azula said. The judgement in her tone was heavy. "Though all the practice might do him some good."</p><p>Lady Ursa frowned. "Azula, your brother is very close to your Uncle and cousin, you know that. Everyone is worried."</p><p>"Yes," the girl replied, almost bored with the conversation. She said something else her Mother didn't seem to agree with.</p><p>"We don't talk like that Azula." Lady Ursa rose from her seat near the pond's edge. "Family is-" The wind took her words in the wrong direction just as Katara moved back into the palace building. She would need to ask Zuko what the message was about when she found him; she was curious what could work him up so badly. Hopefully they were OK.</p><p>She walked another set of hallways before realizing she'd walked herself in a circle. She gave a frustrated sigh. Just as she was about to give up her search, Katara heard a shout and a familiar male voice call out 'Again'. She increased her pace and charged into an open room with wall panels slid wide open to the summer air. Three guards stood in ready position facing Zuko. He stood with his back to her. When she walked onto the training floor, the guards turned to her. Zuko followed their gaze. She spoke before anyone could stop her.</p><p>"Prince Zuko," she stated, bowing her head. "I'd like to speak with you. In private."</p><p>"The prince has no-"</p><p>Zuko held up his hand in a gesture of silence.</p><p>"You're all dismissed. Shut the panels." He turned away from Katara to watch the soldiers seal up the room. They left without a word. It was only them now.</p><p>"Katara-"</p><p>"Where have you been? I thought you'd gone off and gotten injured again when you didn't come back." She moved to talk to his face, but the prince looked away again.</p><p>"I don't deserve your sympathy."</p><p>"Why?" Katara asked. "Zuko you have to tell me what's wrong or I can't fix it next time. What did I do that you won't look at me when I'm trying to speak to you?" Where had the strong-willed, spoilt prince gone? Did news of his uncle have him this worked up? Or was he focused on something else?</p><p>"You didn't do anything wrong. I did. I don't want to become my father or Zhao in that regard." Now Katara was truely confused. She needed him to be more specific. Zuko continued to ramble. "And being drunk isn't an excuse-"</p><p>"I don't-"</p><p>"Of course that not enough. I- You-" The prince lost his train of thought when he finally allowed himself to look her over. She swore she could feel his eyes follow the same path he'd traced when he'd last seen her, that same path she'd touched with cautious fingertips in front of the mirror. He regained enough of his senses and shook his head. He pressed his eyes shut and recited a set of words that seemed like they were drilled deep into his pysche. "The only way to restore honor is through an Agni Kai.."</p><p>Katara shook her head and lifted her hands in an attempt to calm him. He was speaking nonsense. They couldn't fight an Agni Kai. And he hadn't taken her honor-whatever that meant. She tried to talk him down. "Zuko. You didn't-"</p><p>"Now!" He stepped into his stance and blasted a fireball in her general direction. Panicked, Katara found the barrel of drinking water in the corner of the room and pulled the liquid into a shield. A single floating cup clattered to the floor as the water took shape. The shield held back the blast but fell apart the moment the flames vanished. A wave of panic fell over her and she hurriedly scanned the room for witnesses.</p><p>"There's no one here. You're free to bend as you wish."</p><p>"I don't want to fight Zuko," Katara said, dropping her hands. Her water receeded with them. "I just want to talk. We <em>need</em> to talk."</p><p>"There's nothing to talk about," Zuko replied. He bowed his head for a moment before stepping forward and throwing two flaming punches in quick succession. Katara pulled more water to her hands to block the flames before attempting her own attack.</p><p>Her practice in the bathroom came in handy when the water whip snapped across Zuko's shoulder, just inches from where she intended. He flinched but responded with a fire blast from his left foot. She stepped into a sloppier new form, pulling the water from the ground up with her motion to avoid the flames.</p><p>Katara had never before had the chance to spar with anyone. The only fights she had seen were in the arena, and they were much different from this one. Though she had only watched the prince bending in a fight once, she knew he was holding back. He was obvious about it. It made her wonder why he was so eager to make her fight if he was just going to play defensive. He obviously was not going to just talk about the situation like she wanted, and she couldn't focus on her bending while trying to make him answer her questions.</p><p>She threw a ball of water at him while cursing his pigheadedness. The liquid froze midair into a solid ice sphere, crashing into the stone column where Zuko's body had been moments before.</p><p>Katara paused, shocked. Stepping away from the flames blasted in her general direction and shielding herself with another stream of water, Katara thought about the ice. It shouldn't surprise her; water and ice were the same element. She had used ice once before, though it had been an accident and she wasn't quite sure how she did it.</p><p>Frustrated, Katara blew out a large sigh. The center of her water shield froze.</p><p>Breath.</p><p>That was how she could freeze the water. Katara smiled and tried another water whip. It splashed against Zuko's chest, bits of ice clinging to his pants as she exhaled. For as much as she had not wanted to fight at first, she was learning more then she could have asked for. If only she was able to learn the answers to her actual questions.</p><p>Then Katara noticed something else: Zuko seemed to be moving slower now. The ice got in his way. It gave Katara an idea. If she could stop him in his tracks, since she didn't know how to win otherwise, he would be a captive audience and would be forced to talk to her and answer all her questions. The prince seemed to notice her grin.</p><p>Katara tried to use the water whip, the move fast becoming her favorite, to hit each part of her opponent and freeze them separately. Zuko dodged them with more effort, and she realized she needed a faster way to do this or her endurance would run out long before his.</p><p>Katara was not used to this strenuous exercise. Her physical muscles and her ability to focus on manipulating water this quickly still needed practice. Luckily, an idea hit her. She called the rest of the water from the barrel, pulling it around herself in an impromptu shield to block Zuko's latest fire blasts. Then with the momentum gained as she spun, she flung the wave at Zuko. The prince was hit directly and pressed up against the wall as Katara exhaled, twisting her wrists. The extra hand movement came naturally to her, and the liquid froze solid, pinning Zuko to the wall. He struggled for a moment as Katara approached.</p><p>"I win. Now I want to talk." The prince blinked, almost surprised at her statement. He turned to look away.</p><p>"You owe me answers, Zuko." Her face was set with a frown as she crossed her hands over her chest. She thought she heard him sigh and saw steam rise from the ice.</p><p>"I don't." He stepped out of her ice prison once he melted it with his flames. She tried not to let her heart sink; she knew winning had been impossible from the start.</p><p>"Listen Zuko," Katara interrupted, her voice losing its power and almost took on a pleading tone. "I don't want to be left in the dark anymore on this. I need to know. Just let me ask." The youngest prince met her gaze, was silent for moment, and then nodded.</p><p>"Fine. What do you want to know?"</p><p>"I want to know why you did what- whatever it was you were doing- the night of the summer solstice," Katara said. There was no hint of embarrassment in her eyes, though she felt her cheeks flush when she remembered the stirrings and new feelings she felt in her body. Zuko, on the other hand, went red and looked away.</p><p>"I was drunk and-"</p><p>"I know, but what were you trying to accomplish? That's the part I don't understand."</p><p>"I don't think I understand your question," Zuko replied. "I was trying to do what any man in my situation would have tried. I'm not saying it was right, but-"</p><p>"That's my question. What would any man in that situation have done?"</p><p>Zuko tilted his head slightly. "Slept with you?" He paused; confusion swirled in his golden eyes. "Did you just want me to admit it out loud?"</p><p>She shook her head. "But you didn't try to sleep, you were doing something else entirely. I would have been fine with just sleeping." They stood in silence for a moment.</p><p>"You have no idea what would have happened, do you?" Zuko asked, his mouth slightly gapping.</p><p>"That's why I'm asking you to tell me!" She threw her head back and her arms up in exasperation.</p><p>Zuko put his hand to his temple. "So, not only are you a-" he trailed off before trying again. "And you don't know about sex at all? I can't believe I almost-"</p><p>Katara tried to find the words to ask what he meant. But he continued talking. "Didn't your parents- or, any of the other servants teach you anything? How old are you anyway?"</p><p>"I'm sixteen," Katara replied. "No one'd told me anything about this. I was separated from my parents when I was six and GranGran not long after. Shiyu didn't teach me anything but medical techniques, and I don't seem to be popular enough with the other servants to gossip like you think I do." Zuko was silent as he looked Katara over, almost as if seeing her for the first time. He wasn't sure if she was lucky or unfortunate. She straightened under his gaze.</p><p>"So- will you teach me?" She asked innocently. Memories of the festival night mixed with the imaginings in Zuko's mind as she asked the question. He was glad she couldn't read his thoughts and see how he pictured the instruction going.</p><p>He coughed, his mouth suddenly dry. "Well-"</p><p>"Why does everyone give me that same horrified look?" Katara threw her hands up and turned to march away. "Shiyu, Prince Iroh, and now you!"</p><p>"You asked my Uncle about sex?"</p><p>"Is that what it's called? ... Then no. He asked me what I knew when I questioned him about the brothel I was taken to when I was kidnapped. It was the same one you wanted to go to by the way, The Spitfire." Katara didn't mention that Iroh had said he didn't think he was the right person to explain it for fear Zuko would parrot the excuse. She wanted these answers. She'd waited long enough.</p><p>The prince groaned and looked visibly pained at the mention of his drunken ramblings. He leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, holding his fingertips to his temples.</p><p>"Look, most girls learn from their mothers or aunts or some other female relative. It's not a topic that's discussed as casually as you'd think."</p><p>"Why?" Katara asked. "You still haven't told me what people do during sex- right, sex?" Zuko nodded. He wished she'd stop saying the word.</p><p>"It's highly personal." Zuko clenched and unclenched his fists as he struggled with his words. "Girls get embarrassed about it, unless they're gossiping with their friends, I guess- I don't know! I don't talk about this stuff. It's just satisfying a need since I'm not trying to have children yet." He shuddered at the thought. He was WAY too young for that.</p><p>"That's how you can have children? Wait- this is too much. I'm not going to remember this all." Katara plopped down on the ground on her knees facing Zuko while he leaned against the wall. She thought to herself for a moment. She had rough answers to build from, but she still needed to know the big question.</p><p>"But what it is?" Katara asked again. She leaned forward and tilted her head to the side, as if the new angle would magically answer her questions. She noticed Zuko's cheeks were bright red. His golden eyes were closed as he sat, one hand cupping his forehead the other arm draped over his knee.</p><p>Zuko began, haltingly. "Its- something lovers do, usually in a bedroom, without clothing."</p><p>"Why?" Katara asked. "No, how? Is it like kissing? Because that-"</p><p>"It's more than kissing." He adjusted his position on the floor, repositioning his legs to give himself more room and looked at Katara with what she thought was a pained expression.</p><p>"It can start that way, but- people do it because it feels good." He was struggling to keep a clear head.</p><p>"But what is it?" Katara was almost physically frustrated that he was still avoiding her question.</p><p>"I don't know how to explain it!" Zuko shouted. He had long lost control of his thoughts and his body was acting on its own accords. Katara's next statement could not have been worse timed.</p><p>"Then show me."</p><p>It took all his willpower not to jump the girl right there.</p><p>"No." He could hear the desire in his voice as he spoke. Katara heard the change as well but had no reference to know what it meant.</p><p>"Why?" They both heard the pleading tone her voice took on.</p><p>"Because you should have someone who will be gentle for your first time." Katara set her lip in a serious frown and in all her innocence brought up a valid point.</p><p>"So, you think that the nobleman in the hallway or the man who ordered my kidnapping or anyone else who happens to get their hands on me will do that? I might not know much about any of this, but I don't think they would. The only man who has shown ANY self-restraint around me with this topic- is you. I don't know why you think you've dishonored me, but I want you to know that I don't think you have. Instead, you've given me an opportunity. Now, please Prince Zuko, show me." That was all the Prince needed to hear.</p><p>"Fine," he agreed, springing to his feet, "but not here. We'll go back to my room." He helped her up and pulled her to the door with less self-control than he wished he displayed. He held Katara's wrist to lead her, but she kept pace, walking almost side by side with him. She was flush with excitement over his agreement.</p><p>They arrived back at Zuko's bedroom, and once safetly inside he turned to her. He was still thinking straight enough to know they edged into dangerous territory.</p><p>"I know I said I would show you, but if you want to stop at all, just so say so. I don't want to force you like I tried to do before." Katara nodded that she understood.</p><p>"I want to know what the big deal is. Everyone else seems to know. I don't want to be left in the dark anymore." A pause hung in the air. "So how do we begin?" Zuko seemed to be at a loss as well. It didn't last long before he found his bearings.</p><p>"Come closer." The weight of the situation- that he was about to teach his uncle's servant about sex through a demonstration dampened some of his rash excitement, but it did not make his pants any looser.</p><p>Katara step almost flush against him. He smelled like spice and sweat and radiated warmth. She thought about the couple in the alleyway. "Is this where the clothing comes off?"  He shook his head and put one hand on her shoulder. He cupped her face with the other, bringing her thoughts solely to him. His hands were smooth against her cheek.</p><p>"Most people begin like this." He bent to kiss her. Unlike last time, Katara knew what to expect- more or less. The fact that he did not taste like Fire-Whiskey was an added bonus. Katara mimicked his actions from before and flicked her tongue over his teeth. He seemed surprised at the boldness, but she hung back after the single taste. Zuko paused.</p><p>"Don't stop," He instructed, keeping his voice as even as he could. He spoke against her lips, his thumb caressing her chin, "do what you like- what feels good." Katara leaned in again, wrapping her hands around his shoulders and allowing the Prince to pull her closer as well. She let her eyes close lazily and tried to focus on what she felt.</p><p>Her feet left the ground shortly after, their kiss unbroken. She felt the bed on her back. Zuko parted her knees to stand between them. Pressing their hips together, Katara noticed the firm bulge once more.</p><p>"Zuko, what's-?"</p><p>He grinned. "That comes later. Help me take this off." He pulled at her shirt after untying her belt. Katara assisted, quickly pulling the fabric over her head. She was left sitting in her pants and bindings.</p><p>"Now these," Zuko pointed. He pulled at the white fabric, freeing the waterbender's breasts. She watched him run a finger from her collarbone to the apex on the left and her body jerked unconsciously.</p><p>"Wh-" she tried to ask.</p><p>"Shhh," he replied, grinding his hips in slow circles with hers as he took both breasts in his hands and flicked each dark raised bud with his thumbs. She heard herself make strange mewling sounds and tried to stop, thinking they sounded weird and she was not reacting right.</p><p>"Don't hold back."</p><p>"But I don't know the right-," Katara tried to counter. She was nearly breathless already, a strange tension growing in her body.</p><p>"There's no right and wrong to this. Let yourself feel and react the way you want." Zuko moved one hand down to her hips and then slid her pants off in a simple motion. Their was no struggle now, no confusion with drawstrings or coordination. When he tugged at the last piece of fabric on her body, Katara sat up and caught his hands. She lifted her eyes to meet his, suddenly fearful.</p><p>"Not there."</p><p>"Katara," Zuko said, though his voice was much deeper now. Was he frustrated? With her? Katara didn't know for sure.</p><p>"Can we just skip this part and-?"</p><p>"This IS the part we were getting to." He took a deep breath. His next question almost seemed pained. "Do you want to stop?"</p><p>"No, just-" Katara shook her head and released his hands. She looked away; heart hammering as she gathered her courage. Finally, she met his eyes with her own trusting gaze once more.</p><p>She tried to smile. "Ok. Let's continue." She took the fabric in the fingers and slid it down her long legs to where it crumpled in a heap on the floor.</p><p>Zuko stared. Now it Katara's turn to blush. She sat naked before him. She knew what her body looked like, but he seemed to stare longer then she expected. She in turned studied him. Even dressed only his pants from his workout, but it wasn't his muscled chest that caught her eye like it had been when she met him in the Arena. Now it was the bulging mass right in front of her. She reached and put her hands on Zuko's hips, hooking her fingers in his waistband and easing it lower. He let her do it at her own pace, guiding the front free.</p><p>What she discovered was anything but expected. The prince watched her for a moment as she just stared at him. His pants pooled on the floor at his ankles. Stepping out of them, he reached for Katara's hand.</p><p>"You've obviously never played with boys growing up," Zuko grinned. He knew all too well that young boys loved playing the 'show me yours I'll show you mine game.' It was a new experience being with a girl who had no prior knowledge of anything at all. Katara shook her head, any memories she might have had seeing her brother naked were long gone. She pulled her hand back when he brought it close enough that she could feel the heat of his body.</p><p>"What-?" She forgot her question and seemed content to stare. Zuko tensed, the more she dragged this out, the harder it would be for him to go slow.</p><p>"This," he explained, touching himself, "goes there." He reached to touch her center, but Katara slammed her legs shut.</p><p>"Why?" She squeaked. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own and she felt heat slowly grow between her legs. It was almost like her body wanted him to touch her there, to go inside her most private of places.</p><p>Zuko groaned. "You'll just have to trust me when I say it feels good." Good was an understatement, but hopefully she would draw that conclusion herself. Katara could only nod.</p><p>They eased closer. She looked to him with such trust in her eyes. It took all his self-control not to throw open her legs and slam himself into her like some whore down at the Spitfire. He could take it slow, let her understand what she wanted to know and try to make it enjoyable for the both of them, unlike his own first time.</p><p>Remembering that event dulled his enthusiasm slightly. The woman his father had sent to him when he was deemed old enough had only been interested in carrying a child with royal blood. She only pushed him through the motions of sex; it was Lu Ten who took him to the The Spitfire where the girls truely taught him what he needed to know later on. Though, that first experience nearly kept him from the act later on. It didn't help that the woman was much older than him and not very attractive… Unlike the nervous girl before him now. She didn't seem to know what she did to him. Maybe now it would be obvious.</p><p>"What do I need to do?" She asked. Katara saw how he looked her over, almost lost in thought. Her words pulled him back to the present, back to the beautiful girl underneath him waiting for direction.</p><p>His silence made her grow bolder, reaching for his bare chest, exploring his muscles with her thin fingers. He was warm under her fingertips, his pale skin smooth and unmarred. She touched where he had been injured on his shoulder and then ran her fingers down his stomach slowly once she reached the patch of dark hair above his manhood. She drew back for a moment, then took a steadying breath and ran a single finger down its length. The organ jumped under her touch, and she drew back.</p><p>Without a word, Zuko grabbed her hand and pulled it back. With his guidance, Katara gingerly touched the smooth skin. It was such a new sensation; she could feel her own center growing warmer.</p><p>Katara fidgeted, shifting her weight to try and ease the pressure. Zuko moved forward, their noses touching and went in for another kiss. She felt his weight press her onto her back. A warm hand ran down her hips until it came to rest between her legs. She felt him touch her there, sliding through the gathered moisture. Then he did something, touched a part of her, that made her gasp into his kiss. Her back arched up into his chest as she tried to call out. A single touch had her grinding her hips into nothing, silently begging for more of what she still did not know she could have.</p><p>"Ready?" came Zuko's rough voice. Katara almost didn't notice that his eyes had grown brighter with his desire. She nodded without realizing her whole body was tight as a wire, waiting. This was already more then she had hoped for, and she figured she knew everything.</p><p>She couldn't see what he was doing in her current position, but a sudden heat touched her where his fingers had been. She met Zuko's eyes. She could feel his hand on her hip, the pressure almost comforting as he squeezed. Katara felt her opening part ever so slightly. She lifted her hips up and down, enjoying the new sensation.</p><p>Katara gasped, her hands fisting in the sheets as he pushed inside of her. She heard her herself moan, turning her head to try and bury the sound in the sheets. Zuko held himself there for a second, lost in the moment, then retreated. Katara writhed underneath him. It was painful, being stretched open like that, but now she felt empty. She was not quite sure how she felt about it.</p><p>The prince thrusted once more, then began a steadily growing rhythm. Katara lost her grip on the sheets, found Zuko's bicep, and dug her nails in on the next thrust. Both of his hands held onto her hips now, guiding her seemingly random spasms of pleasure into line with his own.</p><p>And then, when Katara thought she would not be able to handle any more, Zuko pulled out of her completely and the mounting tension eased She lay back and caught her breath, still dazed. Slowly she sat up. Her long brown hair was rumpled from her tossing and turning and stood up at funny angles before falling into her face. Cheeks flushed, Katara smiled up at Zuko. He stood at the edge of the bed, giving her space. He held a hand towel in his hands; Katara wondered when he had picked it up.</p><p>"I'm usually not- I mean I hope-," Zuko lost the thought, standing and turning away from a moment. She smiled at his back, still riding the high. When hHe turned and handed her the towel. When she gave him a confused look, he folded it over and wiped her thighs clean along with part of the bed.</p><p>Katara took his hands when he was finished and flashed him a content smile; somehow, she felt closer to this young man then she thought possible. He had just given her a great gift. She no longer would be left in the dark on this topic. She glanced down, her blue eyes resting on the space between his legs. She reached out again, dropping his hands.</p><p>"Why-?" She began to ask, touching the defined v-shape that his hips and abdomen muscles formed. The limp organ slowly filled with life again.</p><p>"Why does it do that?" Katara asked. Without fear she explored it now, running her fingers along the veins as they grew and began to throb, then following the skin back to his legs.</p><p>Zuko was surprised at himself. He usually never needed a second round to feel satisfied. The girls at the SpitFire were good, but tonight had been something different. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that he had been so quick to finish or that she was still curious that he was ready to go so soon afterward, but he did not mind. He grinned at the girl, and she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.</p><p>...</p><p>The next morning, Katara found the room filled with light before she even woke up. Two thoughts filled her head.</p><p>One, that something had to be wrong for her to sleep this late into the morning.</p><p>And two, that she was sleeping tucked into a warm body behind her. Katara turned her head and saw the prince's arm wrapped over her waist. Last night's events swarmed her mind like a flock of frog-pigeons.</p><p>Katara blushed, thinking about how intimate the things they had done were, and there she lay, naked, pressed up against the youngest prince of the Fire Nation. She would have never believed anyone if they told her this would happen. Not in a million years.</p><p>Zuko stirred and pulled her closer. She felt her buttocks press against his manhood and grew warmer in her core. She heard the Prince yawn and felt him lift his hand to stretch. She smiled up at him, flushed from the memories of last night's adventures. How warm he was against her cool naked skin. It made her wonder if all firebenders felt that way.</p><p>"Good morning," Katara said slowly. Zuko paused. He looked around the room as Katara sat up, pulling the comforter with her to cover her bare chest. He had already seen all of her, but it still made her uncomfortable to be exposed, especially in the light.</p><p>"Good morning," he echoed, watching her carefully. They both stared in silence for a moment, not sure what to say.</p><p>Katara bit her lip. "Is that what it would have been like it if Lu Ten hadn't rescued me from the SpitFire?"</p><p>"No." Zuko answered without pause. He eyed the girl beside him, growing hot just thinking about someone else seeing her like this. "No one goes there to be gentle. They go there to- it just wouldn't be the same."</p><p>"And the girls are OK with that?"</p><p>Zuko raised an eyebrow at Katara's choice of conversation. He rolled onto his back. "I don't know. It's what they get paid to do."</p><p>"Every night?" Zuko responded with a nod and a yes. Katara thought for a moment. "When he mentioned it, Prince Iroh didn't seem to care for the place."</p><p> "My uncle wouldn't be thrilled to know my cousin and I spend any amount of time there, even disguised. But the brothel girls aren't looked very highly upon by society in general. I suppose it goes along with getting paid for something that people don't like to talk about. They're called whores and-"</p><p>Katara stilled, recognizing the word. Context now told her it was not something she wanted to be called, even with the other's servants liberal use of it. She lifted her arms to stretch and cover her discovery. She felt Zuko's eyes on her skin. After a pause, his gold eyes seemed to flash as he pieced together her reaction. "Who said it to you?"</p><p>"It doesn't matter." She knew even if she told him which servants had said it, there was little he could do. They fell into silence until Katara asked another question.</p><p>"What was that other thing you said yesterday? You said you dishonored me before."</p><p>Zuko paled. He really didn't want to talk about this. Not no, not ever. But especially not after how much he enjoyed last night. He closed his eyes. "Forcing someone else to have sex with you who isn't willing is a crime."  Whatever the punishment was for this crime, it was obviously not to keep people from attempting. Katara shuddered.</p><p>"So you were worried." Her words were a statement, not a question, but the prince nodded anyway. Even with his title protecting him, he still felt guilt over what he'd almost done. She turned to him, making sure their gazes locked. "You don't need to worry. I meant what I said before: you haven't dishonored me. Instead, you've given me a gift." The tension in his face eased. He reached over to stroke her arm with his fingertips. </p><p>When Zuko finally spoke, his voice held tones of amazement. Almost as if he'd discovered something in their silence. "I think I understand why Uncle worked so hard to keep you safe. Keeping you aaway from Zhao... You're so different from anything he's probably gotten his hands on."</p><p>"What makes everyone dislike the Admiral so much?" She was not about to defend the man since she wasn't quite sure of his intentions- though she had a much better guess now, but she wanted to know anyway. Zuko stretched, lifting his hands over his head, and looked up at the ceiling before he answered the question. There was no hesistation now, no awkward attemtps to come up with a response. He knew this answer.</p><p>"He isn't a good man. He's a sore loser, greedy, power-hungry, and loves spending every free moment at the brothels. I mean a few times is fine, but-. Its even rumored he led raids to Earth Kingdom towns to strictly capture women." Zuko shook his head in disgust.</p><p>"But if he finds me again, do you think he'll-"</p><p>The prince sat up, the sheets pooling in his lap.</p><p>"Not while you're under my protection. I promise not to let anyone touch you while you belong to me." Katara sat stunned. Putting aside the phrasing, it was a comforting thought. The silence made her wonder if she was supposed to say something in return, but she noticed that the Prince seemed to have surprised himself. The words had just come. And while they sounded sincere, Katara wondered if they would be too much for him to follow through with.</p><p>After a moment of silence, Zuko let himself wonder why he suddenly felt so protective of her. Was it that he felt responsible for her now, seeing as he had been her first, her teacher, her-?</p><p>There was a knock at the door.</p><p>"Prince Zuko," the voice asked. Katara froze; she was completely nude on the bed beside him. Anyone who walked in would see them both. She squirmed, pulling the silk sheets over her body. Zuko let her cover herself.</p><p>"Yes?" The door began to open, but he raised his voice.</p><p>"Don't come in, what's the message?"</p><p>"Forgive me. Your mother has been looking for you and requests your presence at the northern courtyard."</p><p>"Tell her I'll be there shortly."</p><p>"Yes, Prince Zuko," the messenger stated. He shut the door and Zuko stood to dress. Katara still held the sheet up to her chest. It hung loose now, almost showing off her left breast as the fabric clung over it precariously.</p><p>"Zuko, did you ever get the message about your Uncle?"</p><p>"A few days ago," he answered, pulling open his drawers to get dressed. "Why?"</p><p>"I wanted to know what it was about," Katara looked down at her hand on her chest. "Is he ok?"</p><p>"Uncle's been injured," Zuko said. He paused while putting on his shirt and stood dressed in only a fresh pair of pants.</p><p>"The message was part of a full report from the front. It said he had been injured and was ripped up pretty bad. They don't know the extent of his injuries, but it was bad enough to send him and Lu Ten back home for medical attention. Though, the note did say he was in stable condition to travel, so as worried as I am, I'm sure he'll be fine once he gets back."</p><p>Katara gasped. "When will he return?" Zuko shrugged.</p><p>"Without the whole army trudging after them, the trip will be much faster, but it will still take at least a week." Katara nodded.</p><p>"I hope he's ok," she sighed. Zuko nodded, pausing after putting on the rest of his clothing.</p><p>"I'm going out now," he stated, hesitantly. "The laundry needs to be done today." Katara thought he sounded embarrassed telling her to do the job as she always did, but he was gone after a moment and she couldn't ask him.</p><p>Thus the day passed as it normally did, which each of them following their own seperate routinues. And then, before either of them knew it, the day was done and night brought them together once more.</p><p>Unlike their elements, their passion was not extinguished when they came together. They fed off of one another, fire learning control and water learning passion. They were up late into the night, the sky's evening guardian watching high overhead. Finally, curled together, they slept.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the the song "Keep it Right There" by Ali Lee</p><p>I'll be the first to admit that scenes like this are NOT my forte. The only reason I don't completely hate it, is its supposed to be awkward and drawn out and a character driven give-and-take over the actual sexy graphic description of the act. So hopefully it wasn't so terrible that you all don't run for the hills screaming.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Like Today Never Happened</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Archive Warnings apply for this chapter</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 15- Like Today Never Happened</strong>
</p><p>"My freedom for his life, and I would do it again in a heartbeat."</p><p> </p><p>For once, the room filled with sunlight before either of them woke. Filtering through the curtains, the light stirred neither of them. They lay curled together, Zuko's back to the window with Katara's forehead pressed against his chest. Her hair lay unbound against the pillow, resting in tangled brown waves behind her. Zuko's hand lay on her waist. The silken sheets covered their hips and legs, the rest of them exposed to the warm morning air. Had there been no disturbances, the two of them could have dozed until midday.</p><p>The knock on the door gave them little warning. Zuko opened his eyes just in time to see the knob turn.</p><p>The sharp voice echoed from the hallway outside. "Zuko-"</p><p>"Don't come in!" Zuko called, but he was too late to stop the intruder. Katara woke to Zuko sitting up in bed and grabbing at the sheets to make sure everything was covered.</p><p>"Why?" The voice snapped as the door was thrown open. It Katara a moment too long to recognize the voice, and by the time she pulled the sheets over herself, it was too late. She could feel her face reddening as the princess stood in the doorway.</p><p>"Zuzu," Azula sneered, her smile devious.</p><p>"Get out," Zuko growled. Katara felt the bed sway as he chucked a pillow towards the door. His sister caught it with little effort.</p><p>"Alright, but then you won't hear the message I was supposed to give you." Still smiling, she turned to leave. "Your loss."</p><p>"Azula!" Zuko called, halting her in the doorway. "What's the message?"</p><p>"It's about Uncle." She eyed the two of them in bed, took in their closeness, their lack of clothing. Katara tensed hearing her words. She clutched the silk to her chest as she sat up. Any embarrassment she felt from the princess catching them like this faded immediately. Azula laughed to herself.</p><p>"Though I'm not sure Uncle would be pleased to hear that you're fu-'</p><p>"This isn't-"</p><p>"No Zuzu," Azula countered. Her voice was sharp. "This is exactly what it looks like. Won't Father be proud." She laughed again.</p><p>"What's the message Azula?" Zuko ground his teeth as his sister examined her nails dismissively.</p><p>"Nothing important really." She rolled her eyes. "Just that Uncle is with the doctor in his rooms right now. He's been there all morning, ever since his ship pulled in at dawn. The palace's been-"</p><p>"Get out," Zuko said, his voice less of a growl now. Azula sent one last glance at Katara and shut the door. It wasn't even closed before the prince leaped out of bed and rushed to his drawers. He tossed Katara one of her tea outfits and proceeded to get dressed in record time.</p><p>Katara put on the outfit, fumbling to get all her wrappings in place in her nervousness. She was worried about Prince Iroh. Though, some of her nerves could be attributed to the fact the princess had found her in bed with Zuko. There was another knock on the door, this one much more furious. Had she already told someone? Was there some unwritten rule about this somewhere? Zuko did not share her fear as he pulled his clothing into place and stepped to the door.</p><p>"What?!" Zuko shouted. He threw open the door to find Lu Ten standing in the hallway. The young man winced at the shout, though he had not backed away, his hand still raised mid-knock.</p><p>"Where have you been?" He asked, then added. "Did you get the message I sent? The doctor's worried he won't last much longer." Zuko waved Katara after them as Lu Ten lead them down the hallway at almost a full sprint. She noticed the sling around the older prince's right arm. If she remembered correctly, that was his stronger sword arm. </p><p>"What happened to you?" They turned a corner and moved into Iroh's wing of the palace.</p><p>"The Earth Kingdom armies ambushed us about two miles out before we even reached our main camp," Lu Ten explained. "No one was killed, but we suffered major injuries, some worse than others."</p><p>Lu Ten pushed open a pair of double doors and a large room decorated in light woods with white accents came into view. Katara spotted Iroh on a grand bed similar to Zuko's and tried to hurry to his side, heedless of the others in the room.</p><p>Zuko caught her shoulder with the silent signal to wait. She acquiesced, biting her lip with worry. She finally noticed two people in the room as well, recognizing Zuko's mother instantly as she set a large vase of fire lilies on the bedside table. The palace medic, Katara assumed, stood over Iroh, checking his pulse. The man wore no expression as he placed his hand back on the bed and bowed to both younger princes. Someone must have given the man a signal since he said nothing as he left the room, shutting the doors as he went.</p><p>"What did the doctor say?" asked Lu Ten. Ursa folded her hands in her sleeves and looked down at her brother-in-law on the bed.</p><p>"He says his pulse is slowing, and he's struggling to draw breath." As if to prove her statement, Iroh coughed and his breathing sounded strained as he wheezed. Lu Ten moved to his father's side and held his hand. His eyes pressed shut; his distress at hearing the news was obvious. Iroh had yet to open his eyes.</p><p>"The doctor thinks the broken ribs may have punctured his lung. They don't think he'll pull through. It's incredible that he made it this far." There was silence for a moment, all eyes in the room fell on Iroh.</p><p>His head, above his eyes, was wrapped in fresh bandages. Katara noticed his left wrist had been set in a splint; it must have been broken. She was sure the injuries continued under the ivory blankets that had been pulled up to his armpits.</p><p>"Can you give us a moment, Mom?" Zuko asked. His voice hitched as he spoke the words.</p><p>Lady Ursa nodded. "Of course." She walked to the door after putting on hand on her son's shoulder in comfort. Soon the room was just them.</p><p>Zuko let Katara go and she hurried to the other side of the bed. Lu Ten had taken a seat on the stool, his forehead cupped in his uninjured hand as he leaned on the bed beside his father. The scene reminded Katara of herself and GranGran, how she sat with her, begging all the spirits above to make her better and not leave her alone. They hadn't listened then, but maybe they would listen to Lu Ten. He was a prince after all. Maybe spirits actually listened to royalty?</p><p>"How did you make it back so fast Lu Ten?" Zuko asked, approaching the bed. He didn't want to look at how injured his Uncle was. </p><p>"The engineers came up with these new war machines. They call them balloons. They fly using hot air from our firebending, so they're so much faster than the tanks... even so" Lu Ten sighed. "If he's punctured a lung, not even the best doctors in the Fire Nation can help him- no matter how fast we got him back." Katara saw Zuko jerk his head up and level a stare in her direction.</p><p>"Maybe not, but I think Katara can."</p><p>Katara's eyes widened in panic. She shook her head, silently pleading with him not to say more. Lu Ten and Iroh did not know about her abilites. Only he did, and he'd promised to keep them a secret. She couldn't- her heart beat furiously in her chest.</p><p>"I know she worked with the Arena Zuko, but-"</p><p>The youngest prince interrupted him. "No listen. She healed me when I came home ripped to shreds from the Arena. She can do it. I know she can." His confindence eased her fear slightly, but looking to Iroh, she wasn't even sure if it was warrented.</p><p>"But Zuko, this isn't a burn or even a wound I can see. How am I supposed to heal this?" She felt tears burn in her eyes. She was terrified of the prospect. It was not so much that these two would tell her secret, not entirely. There was also a growing fear, somewhere deep, that she would not be able to help, that her healing would fall short. She knew some of the fighters at the arena died in their care. Shiyu never took it personally, but it was different for her. Especially now. She'd feel responsible then if Iroh died and she was not sure if she could handle that. </p><p>Zuko moved to the vase his mother had set down and presented it to Katara. "No one will find out," Zuko coaxed. "You can do it." He glanced at Lu Ten; the older prince had fallen silent. Katara watched him glance between her, his cousin, and the vase. After a moment, his eyes grew wide in realization. After all, he had been the one out with her the night of the guard's death. </p><p>"Please help him," he begged, putting just enough of the pieces together. Eyes still blurry with her panicked tears, Katara nodded and took the vase. These two believed in her, even if she did not fully believe in herself. She would pull her strength from them and try her best.</p><p>"I'll do what I can," she stated. Katara handed Zuko the fire lilies, thankful the flowers were so greedy about water. She stepped into her stance and drew the water from the vase and into the air.</p><p>"I don't believe it," Lu Ten breathed, watching the water hover as Katara pulled back the sheets with one hand. Iroh wore a loose white shirt that opened down the front, allowing the doctors and Katara easy access to any injuries. She concentrated on holding the water with one hand and searching for the tender spot with the other.</p><p>It was obvious that his left two bottom ribs were broken even from the surface. His whole chest was bruised, though small scratches already looked like they were trying to heal.</p><p>"What happened?" Zuko asked again, looking down at his uncles' injuries. Katara lowered the water over his ribs and placed her hands on his skin. He was too warm, even for a firebender.</p><p>"We were riding the last few miles to camp with the Komodo-rhino division discussing last minute strategies, and the Earth Kingdom army surprised us with a small group of benders. Dad got hit by a large boulder and flew off his rhino before any of us even knew where they were coming from. We took them down, but not before I took a hit, breaking my arm and dislocated my shoulder. Dad wasn't so lucky. The head wound made his lose consciousness off and on the journey home. Though until we landed and he was moved here, he was breathing fine."</p><p>Katara only halfway listened to the story as she urged the water to seep under Iroh's skin and find the issues. It was difficult work, but eventually she found what she thought was the problem. Katara had never seen the inside of a human before, so she had no idea what everything she felt through the water was.</p><p>What she did know, was that gaping holes and inflamed tissues were not normal in a healthy human. She felt her strength fade and allowed the water still on Iroh's skin to glow around her hands. Lu Ten's gaze and sharp intake of breath almost caused her to lose her focus.</p><p>"What's happening?"</p><p>Zuko answered for her. "Somehow, she can use her waterbending to heal." The two princes watched in silence as Katara closed her eyes and concentrated on closing the scar tissue on the lung. She coaxed the lung to build itself a patch to cover the hole the bone had pierced.</p><p>In the back of her mind, she could feel the two broken bones through the water's touch. Already his body had begun building them back up, though only the lowest one was truly broken. It felt as if the top rib only sustained stress fractures, easy enough for a body to heal with enough bed rest. The bottom rib was not completely severed, but it had moved out of position and poked inward. Iroh coughed, shifting his ribs under Katara's hand. She cringed when she realized the bone would simply puncture the lung again if left as it was. She looked up to the two young men.</p><p>"I need one of you to try and support his rib. It's too close to his injured lung to heal properly. If you could somehow lift it into place-"</p><p>"I'll try," Lu Ten said. With his good arm, he carefully wedged his hand under his father's rib cage. Though he had lost weight due to the injury, it was still difficult with his wide stomach. Lu Ten finally got the right pressure and Katara sent the remaining water to where she felt the fissure, speeding up the process just enough for the rib to support itself without fear it would cause more damage.</p><p>Katara thanked Lu Ten and put her head to Iroh's chest. She frowned and looked around for more water.</p><p>"I just need a little more water." Zuko looked around and noticed the teapot on the dresser. He looked to Lu Ten who shrugged. The pot was brought to Katara. The tea leaves had not yet been added, so she pulled the small amount of water into the air and opened Iroh's mouth. She guided the glowing liquid down his throat.</p><p>"I'm not sure this will work." She admitted the words more to herself then the others. The waterbender guided the ball of water into the still inflamed lung. There she settled it over the injury she had attempted to patch and pressed her hand gently onto Iroh's skin. The water pulsed again the swollen tissue of the lung and knitted itself back together.</p><p>Iroh attempted to cough once more and Katara realized it was because of the other fluid filling his lungs. Lifting her hands off his skin, Katara closed her fingers without making a true fist and appeared to push the fluid up and out of Iroh's mouth. Before Katara could decide where to deposit the mucous-filled water, Iroh took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He looked from Lu Ten to Zuko and settled on her.</p><p>"Katara?" He asked, just as the door opened to the bedroom. Water still hovering, Katara froze under the gaze of the three witnesses at the door. Iroh's eyes fluttered shut once more.</p><p>"Father." Zuko stood and faced the door, standing between Katara and the visitors. Katara lost her waning concentration as fear flooded her veins. She dropped the water to her feet. Though it splashed her, she didn't let her eyes leave the doorway.</p><p>"Guards!" called Prince Ozai.</p><p>"No wait! She just saved my father's life, Uncle!" Lu Ten shouted as he rose to his feet.</p><p>"That's not what I saw," Ozai scowled. A group of guards swarmed past Ozai, his wife, and daughter in the doorway and flooded into the room.</p><p>"Take the waterbender to the Arena where she belongs!" Ozai ordered.</p><p>"Father stop! You don't know-" Zuko approached him as the guards took hold of Katara's arms and began to force her towards the door.</p><p>"I <em>know</em> a waterbender has been living in the palace for who knows how long, and she hasn't been caught!" Ozai roared. "And it appears that my own son knew and did nothing! What a disgrace."</p><p>"But she-"</p><p>Katara stopped listening. She had no tears to shed for herself; Iroh was saved, Lu Ten would live, and she was truly a woman because of Zuko. She had no regrets as she listened to the youngest prince shout at his father. The princess watched with a delighted smile as Katara was forced passed them.</p><p>Azula sneered. "She must have been really good in bed if you want to keep her this badly Zuzu," For the first time, Katara felt her face go red at the thought of someone talking about her. Any response died on her lips. The guards dragged her down the hallway and forced her to march all the way to the Arena without stopping.</p><p>It was a decent journey, one Katara could recall doing in the other direction in the dark with Iroh not too long ago.</p><p>They stopped only long enough to hand her off to the Arena's set of gaurds when they came to the Arena's center. Still dazed from her focus on healing Iroh and the rush of adrenaline flooding her system at being cuaght, she did not bother to note much of anything about the Arena or the coridoor she was lead down. In the back of her mind, she realized there were far more guards here the she would have assumed, feeling their eyes watch as she was handed over. She did not fight them as she was brought down a set of stairs and submerged into cool darkness. The door at the bottom was opened and Katara was met with looks from other prisoners as they watched her through their own cell bars.</p><p>The guards walked her past hundreds of others, all dressed in the same tattered grey tunics and pants that she remembered seeing as a little girl. Finally, she was pushed into an empty cell against the inside of the Arena and locked her in. They lingered for a moment as if waiting for her to try something to get free, but she only caught her breath. Once they left, she came to the bars and touched the cool metal, trying to settle her racing heart as she let her eyes adjust.</p><p>Whispers grew louder as the other prisoners watched her as well. She saw the age ranges in the cages around her and noticed that she was the only woman in sight. Katara slid down the bars and knelt with her head against them.</p><p>This had been the one thing she had feared ever since that day in the bathroom when she discovered she could bend. Being sent to the Arena meant certain death. Slowly, Katara heard the voices around her instead of her own morbid thoughts.</p><p>"-from a rich house-"</p><p>"She has to be a waterbender then-"</p><p>"-just found her ability?"</p><p>"-won't last two matches."</p><p>"Poor thing."</p><p>Katara gripped the bars tighter and held back tears. When no one was looking, she could cry, but not here, not now. She looked up as she took a steadying breath. Using the metal bars for support, Katara stood and examined her cell. Except for the fact that she had no cellmates, it was the same as all the ones around her.</p><p>"You must have been from a noble family, those are nice clothes for anyone to consider giving any of us," said a voice in the cell across the walkway. Katara turned and saw an earth kingdom man leaning against the bars, watching her.</p><p>"You can say that," Katara nodded, swallowing her tears, blinking hard to clear her eyes.</p><p>"Did your bending come late then?" Asked a man in the cell to her left.</p><p>She shook her head. "No, I've known since I was little."</p><p>"Water?"</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"Northern or southern Water Tribe?" An eager man just older than herself asked.</p><p>"Southern," she answered. After a moment, she saw the men pass looks between each other and turn towards the cell diagonal from her own to the right. She asked. "Is anyone still left from my village? I know it's been ten years-" She paused, watching a man shake another awake in the cell across the way.</p><p>"Only two of them are still here," came the muffled response from somewhere on her left.</p><p>The man across the hall spoke to the waking man. "We have a new bender. She says she's from your village." She watched him move towards the bars.</p><p>The young earthbender in the cell beside her gave her a smile she didn't see. "So, what's your name?" The girl's eyes had not moved from the cell with the man who had been sleeping. Tears came and she let them fall when she heard his voice answer for her.</p><p>"Katara."</p><p>"Dad," she smiled. He had aged more then she thought possible in the span of ten years. it must have been the constant fighting to survive that put undue stress on him. She wished she could hug him and stay safe in his arms like she had done when she was little. He would stroke her hair and tell her everything would be aright and that he would protect her from all the monsters.</p><p>"You're a waterbender?" He asked slowly. She wasn't sure if she heard confusion or something else in his voice.</p><p>She nodded, fearful that he was disappointed. "I know that- "</p><p>"I'm so proud of you Katara," he smiled. Katara saw the truth in his words reflected in his expression and smiled. She looked around, seeing no recognizable faces.</p><p>"Who else is still here?"</p><p>"Kuhro," Hakoda answered.</p><p>"Were all the rest-?" she almost did not want to hear his answer.</p><p>"No," Hakoda answered, "Sokka and handful of others had their contracts bought up and fight without the fear of death anymore. I hear your brother is doing very well for the nobleman he fights for." Katara smiled, knowing Sokka was still alive, even if he was still fighting. She wished he didn't have to, but at least he was safe.</p><p>"I saw Sokka a few years ago-" and so she shared the story of how she and Kanna worked for Ouran Zu, and then how she ended up with Shiyu and learned of her bending powers. She didn't mention that she ended up at the palace; she was not sure how to share the story and skip the part about the youngest prince. The thought of telling her father made her heart race and face flush.</p><p>The prince would not be banished from her mind so easily though; she dreamed of him behind the mask of the Blue Spirit that night.</p><p>The next day she was let out to the practice area with the benders in the 2 cells beside her own. She noticed how the guards seemed to gather and watch them, most specifically her. One of the young men who spoke to her yesterday noticed her discomfort.</p><p>"Come practice with me," he stated, moving to the barrel of water that was only half filled. Each man took a fair share of the meager amount and moved through their own training. Katara watched her partner extend his hands and send the water in a slow smooth arc toward her. She copied his stance and felt the transfer of push and pull as they moved the water through the air in a complete circle between them. It was calming, but Katara figured it was meant to be done with more water.</p><p>"Why don't they have more water out for us to use?" Katara asked him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the others all struggled to make do with what they were allotted. "There are a lot of us for so little."</p><p>"They think we'll try to escape if they give us more."</p><p>"Why do they want us to practice then?" He changed the path of the water followed to that of a figure eight. It involved controlling the water as it passed around and behind them. The exercise was more difficult, but Katara picked it up quick enough.</p><p>"The arena master, or the 'Head of Games' as he calls himself over the announcements, wants all the matches to be entertaining. If we don't know what we're doing and the fights end too soon, then the people get bored. At least that's what we've concluded. I don't complain though, this beats sitting in those prison cells for six days waiting." The young man shrugged.</p><p>"When is the next one?"</p><p>"Tomorrow." Katara nodded. Her count had been correct; she wound up here just in time to fight for her life.</p><p>They went through more forms with new stances and Katara asked about his own training. It turned out the boy had been part of the Northern Water Tribe and sent out in an ambush to try and free one of their outlying villages from Fire Nation rule.</p><p>They had eventually succeeded, but not before him and his three friends were all captured two years back. He turned out to be slightly older than she assumed, explaining that all four of them had been training with the city's master for several years until then. Their schooling was almost complete. He shared as much as he could think of.</p><p>The skills she had learned on her own impressed him and some of the others when they took breaks to catch their breath. Katara was tired by the time they were returned to their cells. Once again, she was alone, though now that she knew the men around her a little better, it was not so bad. As dingy as it was in this prison, they could rely on each other. The sense of built community was comforting.</p><p>Once the sun had set and the cells were pitch black, Katara heard the main door open. She jumped at every sound, and in a prison of metal everything echoed. Firelight made its way down the walkway. She sat up from where she curled up in the corner to sleep, wondering what the guards were down here for. </p><p>She noticed the tension in the air build in the cells around her own. Someone moved in the cell across and down on from her own, standing at the bars. Light blinded her when two guards stopped at her door. She scrambled to her feet, still protected by the soft flat shoes she wore in the palace. The two men leered down at her.</p><p>"What do you want?" Katara asked nervously. The men wore neither heavy armor nor their helmets, just the under tunic with the symbol of the Arena embroidered over their hearts.</p><p>"That's no way to talk to your welcoming party, dearest." The man with the flame in hand grinned. The light caught all the wrong edges on his features, throwing harsh shadows across his face. They unlocked the cell door and approached her.</p><p>"Leave her alone," Katara heard her father call from his cell.</p><p>"Leave her alone he says," the other guard mocked. "I don't think we will." He moved forward and grabbed at Katara, forcing one arm behind her back and leaning his head in the crook of her neck.</p><p>"Besides. I doubt she'd used to be left alone, especially at night. I wouldn't want her to be lonely down here." Katara reddened and instantly knew what the two men had come down to find her for. She struggled to be free as the second man closed in on her. The cells around them exploded in a cacophony of shouts and raised voices, her own amongst them.</p><p>She saw flashes of the two men in the alley and then the nobleman in the hallway. Only where they had all failed, the guards now succeeded. She had no water to bend and no surprise rescuers, not here.</p><p>She fought them tooth and nail, but eventually they got what they came for. They were both quick and left with a promise to return and keep her company again soon.</p><p>Collapsed against the wall where they left her like broken doll, Katara wiggled back into her pants and closed her eyes. Tears fell down her face when she realized this would have been what she experienced as her first time if she had not begged Zuko to show her. This was what the other women of her tribe had most likely gone through when they were sold away to their original masters. Had they known? Had her mother-? A fresh wave of burning tears slid over her cheeks.</p><p>The scariest part of all was that if she had had not been rescued by Lu Ten from the kidnapping at the brothel, she would have known this life under Admiral Zhao already. It finally made sense now, what everyone else seemed to know but refused to tell her; Sokka's insistence on her never getting caught bending and set here, her grandmother's phrase about a life worse than death, and Iroh's fears she would learn this on her own. And under it all, she heard Zuko's voice, his promise that he would let no one else touch her.</p><p>While that promise lay broken, she would not fault him. There was no way he could know what happened in the bowels of the Arena. He was a prince of the powerful Fire Nation. Why should it matter to him what became of the girl prisoner he to took to bed every night for the last week? She should have known better, but she still felt her heart break.</p><p>"Katara?" Her father asked cautiously. She realized how silent the cellblock had become. She wiped her eyes and tried to take a calming breath. Outwardly it helped. Inside, she felt numb.</p><p>"I'm ok Dad." It was an obvious lie.</p><p>"You don't have to be strong Katara. No one expects you to be. Not after-" She heard the anger in his voice, the almost desperation. Katara nodded, easing herself to sit up against the iron wall behind her. She absentmindedly noted a stray beam of moonlight fall over her from the grate above. Somewhere high above, the moon must have been full and bright.</p><p>"Those guards have no honor," the young bender added from the cell beside her own.</p><p>She nodded again, touching the hand carved pendant around her neck and lifted her chin to face the moonlight. The men around her remained silent as she sat bathed in moonbeams like an ethereal spirit. The light blinded her to the others, but Katara felt anything but alone in her single cell. If anything, she felt her mother's soft presence beside her, holding her tight as she cried into the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the song "Dare you to Move" by Switchfoot</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Raining More Than Ever</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter Warnings: Archive warnings apply, physical abuse</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 16- Raining More Than Ever</strong>
</p><p>"I've heard it said, that its always darkest just before the dawn. That once you hit bottom, there's nowhere you can go but up."</p><p> </p><p>Experiencing the fighting at the Arena from a fighter's perspective felt strange after all her years working with Shiyu. The prison rang with unnecessary noise as guards seemed to pick prisoners at random, slamming cell doors and shouting out instructions along with insults. Everyone was shoved and pulled to where the guards felt they needed to be. Katara watched from the back of her cell as her father was taken up for one of the matches. He flashed her a brave smile which she returned. </p><p>She noticed the young bender move to the bars separating them. His words were cautious. She'd been quiet all morning since she woke.</p><p>"How are feeling? I hope you're not sore from yesterday-" His eyes went wide as he stammered to fix how his words could be construed. "I meant our practice yesterday. I hope that didn't tire you out too much for today!"</p><p>Katara nodded. "I'm fine. I don't feel stiff at all." It was a lie of course, but he visibly relaxed. She focused on the conversation, to keep her mind from slipping back to the night previous. "How do they pick who will fight each time? Will they put me up there today?" Her question and the promise of conversation was enough for him.</p><p>"When they give you your clothing, you'll find a number stitched onto the left hip. It's tiny, but visible from close range. When you get escorted to the ring you can see a board where the guards keep track of who's fought and who's due to go, as well as the number of wins. I just noticed it last time I went up. It's hanging on the wall just before you head up the stairs inside the guard's watch room." He explained using his hands, as if he could describe the scene better with their help.</p><p>Katara looked around to try and spot the numbers he spoke of. She never noticed them while healing the fighters. Though, she supposed she had other things on her mind and wasn't looking for them.</p><p>"What number are you?"</p><p>"154. They must reuse the numbers when a fighter dies or wins his freedom, so they don't get too high. The highest number I've seen is 378."</p><p>"Is anyone close to winning and getting out?"</p><p>"The board had one of us with 6 wins. I think that's pretty impressive since once you show potential to win, the Arena Master steps in and makes sure you face harder opponents. Usually it becomes an uneven fight, or you face the masked fighters. After winning that many though, the moment you lose, your contract will probably be bought by the group of noblemen we keep hearing about. Your chances of dying with them fall greatly, but you lose your chances of winning your freedom."</p><p>"Then why would anyone want-?"</p><p>"You don't have a choice. If one of them buys your contract from the Arena Master, you have no say. You can't choose to stay here."</p><p>"Oh," Katara sighed. The odds just seemed to be piled higher and higher against her. Even if she got to fight every week- and won each of her matches, that would still take ten weeks to be free. Ten weeks of worrying if she'd have more nightly visitors. Her chest tightened, and she struggled to focus on their conversation. "Why do you have to lose for them to buy your contract?"</p><p>"None of us are sure, but that's what we've noticed. Everyone who's been switched lost their last match before moving." Katara bit her lip and turned this information over in her mind. Could being bought out be better then down here- for her? Fearing he'd lose her to her silence once more, the boy continued.</p><p>"It'll be tough, but we'll all cheer you on if you're going to try and win all the matches."</p><p>"What other choice do I have?" Katara asked, confused.</p><p>"It's the impossible dream. Most of us are just focused on our next match," the young man smiled. "Picking your losses is an easy way to stay alive. Win the ones you can't walk away from. Lose the ones you can. Because the more matches you win in a row, the more chances you'll be paired against the animals or a crazy masked firebender, both of which will kill you and not care. I'd rather not die like that."</p><p>A new set of guards entered the cell block. They pulled two men from the cage to Katara's right and then came for her. She didn't struggle against them as they took her up and out of the prison, knowing she'd need her strength for her first match.</p><p>Once she was led upstairs to a small space near the fighting ring, a guard tossed her the same outfit all the other prisoners wore. She pulled it over her silk clothing and tied the deep blue sash around her waist. It was difficult moving in two sets of clothes, but she would wait to change out of her palace garb until she was back in her cell. She would still be surrounded by men, but at least she'd be away from the leering guards. She looked down and spotted the small number stitched in sloppy red strokes of thread; it read 37. She wouldn't need their official board to keep track of her own wins.</p><p>Finally, she saw the men push the water troughs into place, signaling that the waterbending matches would begin. She was pushed out first against another man. His belt was green, but he didn't look like an earthbender. She was proven wrong when he attacked without warning, sending two giant boulders towards her. Katara threw herself to the ground to avoid them.</p><p>Even after living with Shiyu for six years, the noise level in the center of the Arena was far more deafening then she expected, especially when the crowd liked or disliked the events happening below them.</p><p>The stands towered over her in every direction as she lay on the ground propped up on her elbows. They were only half full with watchers. She had walked through the Arena before with Shiyu, but never had she stood in its center to look up.</p><p>The earthbender grunted and Katara put the dizzying, panoramic sight from her mind and focused on her opponent. She was immediately thrown off balance when he attacked. She did not know what she was expecting, but it was not this. The earthbender was experienced and knew how to use her confusion to his advantage. Finding herself on the ground again to avoid another attack, the waterbender remembered she could fight back. Katara reached out towards the trough and called a stream of water to her hand.</p><p>The earthbender squatted and stomped his bare foot, freeing rocks from under the sandy Arena floor. They hovered before him, waiting for direction. Heart pounding, Katara stumbled to her feet and flung a waterwhip at him. The earthbender responded in kind, punching the air, sending the individual rocks flying towards her. The water glanced off his shoulder, rocking his stance, but it did not stop the barrage of rocks.</p><p>Only a quick reaction on Katara's part to reach for more water and make an ice shield saved her from being pummeled. Safe behind the ice, she did not see the earthbender charge until he was too close. He punched the ice wall and even for a smaller man, the force behind the hit was incredible. The ice shattered, ricocheting off both of them. Throwing her hands up and glancing away, Katara took a blind step backward. The ground where she had stood shook and cracked. Her balance was still shaken, but not enough that she could not avoid the next attack.</p><p>Katara called the ice chunks to her, letting them melt back into water and sent the newly formed sphere at the rock hurtling towards her face. Success brought a hesitant smile to her face and she gathered more water, streaming it towards her opponent as she dodged a minefield of flying rocks. Luckily for her, it took the rocks a second longer then she could to change course, so she avoided them all.</p><p>With a flick of her wrist the water slammed into the earthbender's face from below; he spun with the water's momentum. In her moment of victory, Katara neglected to notice the floating rocks all veered from their intended paths and swung hard turns to the right, the same way the bender had spun.</p><p>One knocked her legs out from under her; she landed hard on her backside. Another rock collided with her arm and back, knocking the rest of her to the ground. The waterbender lay stunned, trying to catch her breath. Movement made her focus her attention on the figure at the edge of her vision.</p><p>The earthbender approached her slowly, a descent sized rock following along at his side like a flying polar bear dog. He stood over her in a loose bending stance. Katara flinched. She was toast.</p><p>"Do you yield?" The man asked. It took Katara a moment to process what this meant.</p><p>"Yes," she answered. "I yield." The man dropped the boulder and extended a hand to help her up. The annoucer called the match as the girl stumbled to her feet. Guards appeared to take them both back to their cells. On the way, Katara caught her breath, wondering what had happened that she fought so poorly. Back in her cell, the others wanted to know how her match went.</p><p>"I lost," she told them. "I was put against an earthbender."</p><p>"Hardly any of us won our first matches. Don't worry about it too much." One of the benders in the cell to her right said.</p><p>"At least you weren't injured," the young bender smiled. "That's a positive." Katara nodded, though she figured she have a few bruises from the hits she took before night fell. She thought back to the match. The adrenaline still flooded her veins, making her jumpy. Her fight with Zuko in the training room probably looked like a polished dance compared to her arena match. She'd need to focus on training.</p><p>Another man offered friendly words. "You were nervous. Everyone's first time is difficult. You don't know who you're up against or how they'll fight. Sometimes you're not certain of all the rules. The noise from the crowd can make you feel off balance. It just takes some getting used to."</p><p>Katara nodded. She sat, still clothed in the two sets of clothing, and listened to the other men's conversations to keep her distracted. It helped. She picked at a stray thread on the hem of her sleeve.</p><p>The day ended and the crowds left. So once the cells grew dark and the guards all but vanished for the evening, Katara decided that now would be as good a time as ever to change. She found changing was a struggle in a prison full of men, but she would take their eyes over the lustful gazes of the guards any day. In the end, she never took off her bindings, so it almost did not matter; that, and most of the men nearby turned away to give her a semblance of privacy.</p><p>Dressed like all the others now in her grey outfit, she truly felt like a prisoner at the Arena. She folded her nice clothing and left it in the corner to use to sleep on or if she got cold.</p><p>...</p><p>The next week passed slowly, as time tends to with nothing to do. Katara spent most her time against the bars, talking with the other benders. She loved hearing their stories about the Northern Water Tribe and their waterbending training. She wished she could see the city with her own eyes, even if it was not where she grew up. It was the closest thing out there with any resemblance to where she was from.</p><p>When they were let out to practice, Katara asked the others to spar with her. It was difficult with the little water they were given, and she ended up losing each time, but she learned a foundation of reading her opponent's moments. She knew what to focus on improving now. She stretched and went over stances in her cell when she got bored.</p><p>The waterbenders around her always made sure she was correct in her forms, even if she thought they weren't looking. Soon, she found herself surrounded by several tutors, happy to help her improve her bending. They were better than any instruction she had read from the books in the palace.</p><p>Halfway through the week, Katara sat stretching on the ground. It was growing dark in the cells, but her routinue could be done without light. It had been a late day for them, and her group had just been let back in from their time outside. The guards had had a problem with one of the new captives in one of the other groups and it messed up the whole schedule, at least according to their loud complaints about it. </p><p>Touching her nose to her knees as she reached for her toes, footsteps rang in the cell block. She looked up just in time to see two guards unlocking her door. She felt her heartbeat skyrocket, and she scrambled to her feet.</p><p>"Don't let us interrupt," one guard sneered. Neither one of the them had visited her on the first night. Katara touched the wall behind her, taking a deep breath. She knew why they were here, the whole prison did, but she had no way to fight them off. </p><p>She struggled against them but eventually found it easier to focus on the voices around her calling at them to stop. She let her body react as it did, but her mind was elsewhere. It was a gloomy thought, the idea that she could do nothing to deter any guard from taking her body as they wanted, but she knew it was the truth. She had to win to be free. She couldn't lie back and accept a half-life down here like the others. Not like this.</p><p>Katara felt them run their hands along her body before they left for the night, satisfied. It felt like a mockery of all the gentle loving caresses Zuko had given her. Her mind focused instantly as she tuned out the attempts at comfort her fellow prisoners around her gently offered. Zuko. If he knew what they'd done to her, would he still-? She stopped the statement before it could break her completely and thought back to what initially caught her mind.</p><p><em>Loving</em>? The word shocked her. She curled into a ball with her back to the wall. <em>Where had that come from</em>? </p><p>Was what the Prince did out of love? Or just attraction? She knew love, or at least she thought she did. Her parents loved her; her brother and GranGran loved her. She wondered about Zuko. He had slept with her because she asked him to and he was attracted to her, but he had still been patient with her and even kind. Even after the evening was over, he put up with her uncomfortable questions.</p><p>The attraction was there on both sides. He held her trust, but she knew they could not be together. Their cultures where too different; they were from different levels socially; the world would never permit it. She shivered as thoughts of Zuko filled her mind. Steadfastly ignoring the voices around her asking if she was ok and cursing out the guards, Katara held onto his memory and retreated into asleep.</p><p>...</p><p>Soon the next Arena day was upon them. Again, Katara was chosen to fight, only this time she knew what to expect.</p><p>Once in the field, she sized up her opponent. He was a normal looking man. He was balding with white scars down his arms, but the thing that struck her as odd was his waist scarf. It was red. <em>Why would a Fire Nation citizen be in the Arena fighting as a prisoner?</em> He attacked before she could figure out the answer.</p><p>A flying knife sliced through the air near her face. The man held a handful of knives, still plenty left to do serious damage if he hit her. The first one landed point down in the dirt behind her. She fell into a defensive stance just in time to deflect the next knife with a stream of water. She was over the initial shock, now she could put all her practice to good use.</p><p>The man circled her and the water trough. Katara was not going to leave it if this was the only source of water. He would run out of weapons before she would. That left her opponent with only one option to win: disable her with a good shot. Katara attacked with a waterwhip, striking the man on his left shoulder. Another knife was thrown, this one grazing her bicep when she didn't react fast enough.</p><p>She wondered how she could win. Death was one way, but she hoped to avoid killing anyone if she could get away with it. She had not even been able to kill off the enemy in her mind when she had been daydreaming back at the palace, how could she do it in real life?</p><p>She hoped brute force would do it. Katara spun on her heels and funneled the whole barrel's contents at the man as he moved to make another throw. The high-powered stream crashed into his chest, ruining his aim and throwing him backwards. The projectile was flung up in a high arc and stuck into the dirt a few feet short from where Katara stood. She called back the water, filling the metal container it started in and looked to her opponent.</p><p>The match was announced with her as the winner after he lay there for a few more seconds. The guards escorted Katara back down to her cell. A quick glance back told her the other man was alright. He rose, slowly holding his hand against the back of his head. The cheers had been short lived, even Katara knew her match had not been very entertaining, but she could have cared less; she won. Once back in her cell, she was met with questions.</p><p>"So?" asked the young bender.</p><p>"I won. I was put against a man who threw knives." She did not have time to mention his strange belt color.</p><p>"And you weren't injured? Good work."</p><p>The talk of injuries brought a memory to mind. "Though, I almost wish I had been. Then I could see Shiyu again."</p><p>"Who?" The waterbending boy asked.</p><p>"The Arena medic. I worked with him for a long time as his assistant."</p><p>A man from across the hall called out. "I knew you looked familiar! You helped me when I lost a fight with one of the tiger-oxes. I was ripped up pretty bad."</p><p>Katara nodded, though she did not remember the exact occasion he spoke of, she would be surprised if any of these men had not been treated by her at some point. She had only been sick and confined to bed twice when there had been matches taking place, so she would have seen most if not all of them. Except for one very important man. </p><p>"Dad?" she asked. "I never saw you at the medic's. Haven't you been injured?" Hakoda sat in the corner closest to his daughter's cell. Since she arrived, it had become his usual spot.</p><p>"My injuries usually aren't gruesome enough that the guards took me there. I was there once with a gash down my back, a few years ago, but I didn't see you." Katara assumed she must have been sick and sleeping when he had come in.</p><p>She nodded and spent the rest of the day conversing with the men who returned from their matches. Whether they won or lost did not matter, Katara listened to their strategies and recollections of their fights to get ideas. The prospect of winning her freedom seemed closer then ever with this first step.</p><p>...</p><p>Long after the last match finished and the evening approached, the hall door was opened and a swell of voices broke any peace that could have been found.</p><p>Katara's heart raced as they moved closer to her cell. She stood and waited at the front bars. The guards approached her cell, just as she expected them to whenever she heard anyone approaching in the evening hours. She had not figured there would be five of them though. Only one man was the same as before; he spoke to her through the bars as he unlocked the door. Already the men in a nearby cell were voicing their opinions.</p><p>"We saw you won your match today," the guard sneered over the commotion.</p><p>"Do you know who you beat?" asked another. Katara shook her head in confusion. She did not think it mattered, especially to a bunch of guards.</p><p>"That was Lyu's cousin," stated another man, pointing out the last man in the group.</p><p>"Why was he in the arena?" Katara dared to ask. Her heart pounded in her chest as they surrounded her in a semi circle, trapped with the wall at her back.</p><p>"He was arrested and sentenced to fight in the Arena till he won a single match. We just want you to know because of you, he has to fight again, something his cousin here isn't too happy about," growled the first man. The other men chimed in with 'yah's and 'that's right's'. Katara had nothing to say.</p><p>"So, we just wanted to let you know how we felt about your victory today." The man whose cousin was in the Arena explained. He lunged forward and aimed a punch directly at her stomach, below her rib cage. Katara crumpled to her knees, gasping for breath. The other men leaned in, standing over her.</p><p>"What's wrong little waterbender?" asked one of the men. "Can't fight back without your precious element?" She felt a kick to her hip and was thrown to the floor completely, still holding her bruised stomach in her hands. Once she was on the ground, the assault began in earnest. She curled into a ball and did her best to protect her head and abdomen.</p><p>She knew enough about the body to know that she needed to protect the soft section of her stomach along with her ribs, as well as knowing the fact that her teeth would not grow back or take her healing if they were knocked out or chipped. Luckily, the only face-shot they got in was a misaimed kick to her cheekbone, just below her eye. Soon, they realized the waterbender could be used as more than just a punching bag. As much as she knew it would not change anything, fear drove Katara to try and fight them every inch of the way. It did little good.</p><p>They left her on the ground abused and beaten, promising worse if she won any more of her matches. She curled into a ball, and let her tears fall freely, ignoring all the voices she heard around her asking how they could help. It was too much: winning was so much harder then she thought. Her hope nearly shattered in the dark. Another scream echoed in the prison.</p><p>She acknowledged the cry with a sharp outward breath. Blue eyes closed tight, Katara sent a prayer to Tui and La, begging them to send her strength- to send them all strength. Somehow, she needed a way forward, a way that made winning more bearable. She never would have guessed how the spirits choose to answer her plea.</p><p>...</p><p>Katara awoke the next day stiff and sore. If last night's events had not been so fresh in her mind, she might have wondered why her match had affected her so badly. The young girl struggled to sit up and noticed breakfast had already been dropped off. The bowl of soupy rice was still lukewarm, but Katara seemed to have lost her appetite for anything. She moved to the front of the cell and used the bars to stand, wincing as she did. She could see the looks the other prisoners gave her when she finally straightened up. <em>Pity</em>.</p><p>There was nothing she could do to prove them wrong at this point; she was sure she looked the part. She leaned with her back against the bars lining the walkway, her palace robes draped over her shoulders for extra warmth as she sat and sipped at the gruel.</p><p>"I wish we still had a healer," one of them men in the cell beside her sighed, watching her. "Without proper food, those bruises will take their time in healing."</p><p>"If I had water," Katara explained softly, her throat aching from the words. "I could heal myself." The taunts from the men last night echoed in her mind. Without her bending, she had little knowledge of how to fight back. She would simply need to find a way to always be able to bend. If only there was a way to always have water on hand, even a little. The other prisoners finally seemed to register her statement. The question was one of shock.</p><p>"You're a healer?"</p><p>Katara nodded. She thought she explained that when she came in. "That was how I got caught, from healing."</p><p>"You should have known better then to heal yourself where someone could find you," one of the earthbenders grunted.</p><p>Katara snapped at him. "I wasn't healing myself. I was healing someone else. He was dying. I couldn't-"</p><p>"Wait," Hakoda ordered from his cell. Katara tried to turn her head to look at him, but it hurt too much to do so.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Who were you healing? Another fighter? Did that doctor catch you then?" He asked. She could tell he was confused after hearing her speak so highly of the man. The waterbender took a steadying breath and felt the bruises on her ribs as she did.</p><p>"It was <em>after</em> I was with Shiyu, Dad," she began. "I didn't tell you the whole story. Something happened when I with him that made him give me to someone else. To keep me safe."</p><p>The waterbender boy moved to sit near the bars separating their cells. "What? Why would he do that?"</p><p>"Because I was kidnapped. After I was rescued, Shiyu sent me somewhere I'd be safe from the kidnapper." No one said anything, but she could feel their eyes on her, curious. She finished. "I was sent to the royal place, with Prince Iroh." The whispers began.</p><p>The open tunic over her shoulders felt heavy as she told the tale. She refused to take it off and spoke to the bowl in her lap. She told them of serving tea, the royal family, and finally how she ended up serving the youngest prince. Even though she did not go into detail about any of their intimate moments, she felt her face flush with the thought of him. She was glad she decided not to face any of them. A smiled filled her face.</p><p>"So you got caught there," another voice asked. A slamming door echoed on the far side of the prison block. She nodded.</p><p>"I got caught healing Prince Iroh. He would have died if I hadn't."</p><p>Another bender growled. "So what? That's one less Fire Nation royal to deal with. After all we've been through, it would be nice to know they can die just as easily as us." If she had not been as injured, Katara would not have taken his statement as subdued as she did. Instead, she had time to think on his words for a moment. Katara did not blame the man for his hatred. Given their situations here under the Arena, she'd be surprised if anyone stood by her decision and thus its consequences.</p><p>"Why'd you risk it, Katara?" Hakoda asked. She looked down at her lap and the half empty bowl; how would she explain it to her father. Would he be able to understand? She started simply.</p><p>"Because I was asked to save his life," she breathed, "by his nephew, Prince Zuko."</p><p>"How did the prince know you could heal?"</p><p>"I told him I could. I told him I was a waterbender." That set off the chorus.</p><p>"What!"</p><p>"Why?"</p><p>"Are you stupid girl?!"</p><p>"Why would you tell one of the rulers of the nation that enslaved us that you could bend?"</p><p>The criticisms and shouts rang around her. But none of them had been there in that room while the youngest prince bleed out and she made her decision. She closed her eyes and smiled to herself.</p><p>"I told him because I made him a promise. I was not going to lie."</p><p>"What made you think he would uphold his side of whatever bargain you made?" Slow footsteps sounded down the hallway. They sounded like they belonged to one of the guards doing his rounds. They never bothered them during the day, so she kept talking, ignoring the approach.</p><p>"I don't know. I guess I knew I could trust him. He never told anyone about my bending."</p><p>"But because he made you-"</p><p>"He didn't make me," Katara interjected. "He would never have <em>made</em> me do it. He <em>asked</em> me to save his uncle's life, and I did. I don't regret it all." She recalled the pleading look he'd given her, but it wasn't through force. He'd never forced her.</p><p>Her Father's voice cracked. "Not even after-"</p><p>"No." She knew what he was referring to, everyone did. "And I would do it all over again if he asked me to." Katara paused and thought about the Prince. Unbidden, more memories of the moments they shared filled her thoughts, warming her cheeks. She smiled to herself again.</p><p>"You have feelings for him, don't you?" asked one of the waterbenders in the next cell over. It wasn't dark, so they could see every flush in her checks as she spoke. The whole cell had been starring at her.</p><p>The question caught her off guard. She forgot about the footsteps closing in on their section of cells, the abuse she had suffered, and the dwindling prospect she had of winning her freedom. Her heart picked up its pace and her stomach did a flip as she remembered his tender touch at night and how he held her close in the mornings. What she would have done for his warm skin near hers now.</p><p>"It's more than that, isn't it?" The boy questioned. Katara looked down at her lap and thought about the confusing things she felt. She knew the prince had lit a fire in her heart.</p><p>"Do you love him?" He asked, his eyes closed as if dreading the answer. Katara was ready this time. She looked to him after a moment when he reopened his eyes, she gave him a small smile.</p><p>"Yes," she nodded. The boy's focus darted past her.</p><p>"Katara." The familiar voice was deep, rumbling right behind her. Katara's eyes widened and she turned so fast she nearly got whiplash. She could have cried at the sight before her. It had not been a guard at all. It was the youngest prince. He stood tall, dressed in a deep maroon hooded cloak to cover the obviously royal make of his clothing underneath.</p><p>She struggled to stand, wincing when she refused to give into the pain. The shocked expression he had worn to greet her melted into one of worry. He covered her hands on the bars with his own and eased her back to the ground. She closed her blue eyes to hide her embarrassment in the fact that she had not been strong enough to even stand. Feeling his hand touch her check and move to cup her jawbone, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. A tear slid from her eye.</p><p>"What's wrong?" His gaze darkened as his thumb moved to trace the bruise on her face. "This isn't from your match yesterday. What happened?" Katara shouldn't have been surprised that he had seen her match, but she was.</p><p>She noticed the men in the surrounding cells all paused to watch and listen, not even bothering to hide it. Some wore expressions of confusion and shock; others like her father, kept their gazes stoic and hard and stood at the bars to overhear their words. Katara shook her head in response to the prince's question. Would he have come to visit her if he knew what had happened? She couldn't bear to see him walk away now. Her whole body ached. She couldn't tell him.</p><p>"Katara," Zuko insisted. "Who did this to you?" Again, he ran his thumb over the bruise darkening her cheek and edge of her jawbone. She winced, though his touch was feather light. The waterbender closed her eyes. She had taken so many chances for him. She decided to take another.</p><p>"The guards. A group of them came down last night." She swallowed the lump in her throat, leaning into his touch. Finally meeting his gaze, she noticed that while he was staring at her bruise, he was not truly seeing her. She hoped. He turned this new information over in his mind. How many pieces he had put together. Would he feel the same about her knowing he wasn't the only one who-</p><p>"Why?" He asked. She figured he meant the question as a rhetorical one, but she responded anyway.</p><p>"They told me it was because I beat one of their cousins and kept him from winning his freedom from his sentence. They said if I win again-"</p><p>Zuko interrupted. "No, you're going to keep winning and none of the guards will ever threaten you again." When Katara looked doubtful he added, "I have a promise to keep. No one will touch you while you're mine." As possessive as the statement was, Katara was forced to smile. It was a nice thought, but how would he make it so? She tried to ask him.</p><p>"How will you-"</p><p>"I'll challenge anyone who hurts you to a duel. It's my honor they'll be disrespecting if they go against my orders. That should be enough to keep you safe from any midnight visits." With those words Katara knew Zuko figured out she had been more than simply beaten. Her breath caught.</p><p>Her voice was small. "What if it's not?" Hope was something she did not want to let bloom if it would simply be crushed.</p><p>"It will be," Zuko promised. He looked up, hearing footsteps. Grabbing her hands through the bars, he came closer. She did as well.</p><p>"I have to go. You keep winning. Lu Ten and I have a plan." Katara gave him a brave smile and nodded. She could feel the heat radiating off of him as he knelt only inches from her on the other side of the bars.</p><p>"I will," she promised. He moved as fast as lighting, lips touching in a quick kiss that she was sure tasted like sparks. The prince gave her hands one last squeeze and then stood and strode off with purpose down the walkway. The sound of a door opening and slamming shut ended the silence.</p><p>"He's the one you risked everything for?" The question came from a warrior in her Father's cell. Katara forced herself to meet her Father's eyes to try and guess what he was thinking. She knew he had witnessed more than a Father should involving his child.</p><p>She nodded. "Yes."</p><p>"I don't know how far his word will go for keeping you safe- with that honor of his already up for debate, but it's a nice thought," one of the waterbenders said.</p><p>"It won't do any good," an eartherbender stated bluntly. "The guards will just regard him as the spoilt child he is who won't share his toy." Hakoda moved so fast that Katara almost missed it. The empty bowl from his breakfast flew from his hand and hit the man who spoke in the side of the face, skidding out of the cell.</p><p>"Don't you <em>dare</em> talk about my daughter like that!" He ordered over the sound of the bowl settling in the walkway after bouncing through the bars. Katara was shocked at her father's outburst but was thankful now that she understood the implication of the man's statement. The bender rubbed this reddening cheek where the bowl hit and snarled back.</p><p>"Everyone was thinking it."</p><p>No one denied his statement.</p><p>Another waterbender was kinder. "Try not to worry. The prince seems to be willing to put what's left of his honor on the line to keep you safe while you're here." Katara nodded, fighting to keep the feeling of her lips on hers fresh.</p><p>The rest of the prisoners let her be. She pulled her palace clothing tighter and tried to relax. She felt the embroidered dragon rub against the sensitive skin on her neck and silently wondered how Prince Iroh was recovering. Katara drifted in and out of sleep for the rest of the day.</p><p>...</p><p>When they were let out to practice the next day, the guards steered clear of her. Even at the end of the practice time they were allowed, when she hung back and used the water to heal the worst of the bruising, no one forced her back down with shoves and kicks. She did get screamed at and herded back towards the others, but no one touched her.</p><p>All week, she was allowed to live without guards coming down to her cell at night. It appeared that Zuko had been true to his word; whatever he had done worked. The true test came the night of the matches. Katara won her second consecutive match, this time against an older earthbending man. She won through endurance, not bending ability or even fighting endurance, just by making him wear himself out first. Now that the bruises were mostly healed, it was easy enough.</p><p>That night, the cell block was once again silent. While no one said anything, all the prisoners noticed and welcomed the change.</p><p>The next Arena day came and went, leaving Katara without a match. She learned not everyone fought every week, especially if they had a winning streak going. It was frustrating, but she counted her blessings in the form that Zuko's threats seemed to have worked. Katara wished he would visit again; it was lonely in her single cell, even with everyone around her. She figured something must have kept him away, and tried not to let her frustration over not seeing him affect her too badly.</p><p>She fought the next week. Paired up against another woman- an earthbender, Katara won once more. It was almost an instant defeat. This was the first woman she had seen since the one she'd met when she worked with Shiyu. There had to more of them, but there was no way for her to find out exactly how many. They were both returned to their cells without much fanfaire.</p><p>Katara shared the news with the others and settled in to enjoy her latest win. Her streak had begun in earnest.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title comes from the song 'Umbrella' by Rihanna</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Don't Leave Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 17- Don't Leave Me</strong>
</p><p>"At least he gave me a smile, before he left me forever."</p><p> </p><p>Injuries were few until Katara's fifth match. It took two weeks for her to fight for her fourth, which she won with only a slight hiccup. Her fifth match followed the next week; unlike her previous opponents, who had all been human, Katara faced off against a tiger-ox. She recalled her first trip to the Arena when three men fought the two animals. Hazy, almost-pleasant memories of a childhood with Bai threatened to distract her, but the threat of death made it easy to refocus.</p><p>The other warriors were right about the animals. They were only out to kill. She knew not if they had been trained that way or if these animals just hated people, but it did not matter. She needed to win.</p><p>In some ways, it was easier to fight the tiger-ox. She had no qualms about killing it if need be, unlike when she faced other prisoners. The animal knew enough to be weary of the water trough, so she stayed close, using it to her advantage. Attack after long range attack, Katara realized that she was quickly tiring while the creature was not affected by the water she splashed at it. When it finally dove at her, she struggled to get the last of the water into an ice wall fast enough. The ice shattered as the tiger-ox bulldozed through it, swiping at her with its sharp claws, tearing through her clothing.</p><p>Katara called out in pain and fell backward to the ground, slamming her tailbone into the sand. The gash across her shoulder, coming just short of her chest, burned as if a blazing knife had slashed her skin. She lay prone against the Arena floor and looked up. The crowd roared above her. The tiger-ox circled back to finish her off, growling while he advanced.</p><p>Through the pain, Katara felt the water pooled where her right hand lay in the dirt. It took all her control not to focus on the bleeding wound, but instead on the killer animal. She was sure the guards would have loved to see her mauled after all the grief they had probably gotten from Zuko. She did not expect any intervention on their parts until they were sure she won. Or was dead.</p><p>The animal nosed her knee, sniffing, barring its teeth. When it looked up, Katara swung her hand skyward, closing it into a fist, sending a spike of ice directly into the creature's eye. It howled in pain, rearing up on its hind legs- the oxen half of its body, and gave the waterbender time to curl into a ball and roll out of the its way. The creature swiped at its eye, dislodging the ice and leaving a gaping hole. It faced Katara as she stumbled to her feet.</p><p>The girl immediately fell into a defensive stance even without knowing where the rest of her water went. The position seemed to be enough for the one-eyed animal though. It turned tail and fled back to the doorway through which it entered. Katara nearly passed out in relief.</p><p>Two guards moved in and somehow managed to half-walk half-drag her out of the Arena. She walked through a real door, not just an arch, and realized she was not headed back underground to her cell; she was injured. So she stood in the doorway of Shiyu's Arena home. She could have smiled when she saw him, that is, if he did not have a look of horror etched onto his face alongside the wrinkles. Without a word, the guards escorted her to the stone table and left the doctor to his work.</p><p>"Shiyu, what's the-?" asked a new voice. Katara's vision begin to blur on the edges when the man entered the room and paused. This must be Shiyu's new apprentice. He seemed to not know how to deal with the situation when her gaping wound became apparent, or maybe it was because she was a girl and not the usual man. Either way, Shiyu snapped him out of it with his next order.</p><p>"Get some clean bandages Karo; she needs stitches," Shiyu explained. He laid Katara back on the table in silence. She watched him sterilize the needle with fire and pulled back the torn, bloodstained edges of her shirt over her shoulder. She didn't think to stop him, until the first prick of the needle drove Katara to find a distraction. No wonder he had needed her to hold down his patients when he did this.</p><p>"I never thought <em>I'd</em> be the one being stitched up by you, Shiyu," Katara half-laughed, half-winced. That got the medic to crack a small smile; it fell shortly after into a frown. After a moment of silence, he spoke.</p><p>"I never thought <em>you'd</em> end up in the arena, Katara. Were you a bender the whole time? And I just never noticed?" The other man, Karo, was silent through the exchange. No doubt he was trying to piece together the history between them. Katara remembered doing the same thing with Shiyu and Prince Iroh when she lived here. It felt like such a long time ago.</p><p>"I never told you," Katara stated. "I'm sorry." She wondered what ran through his mind, feeling his hands shake and the needle pause through her skin.</p><p>"I'm sorry if this is hard for you-" she tried to say.</p><p>"Katara," Shiyu interrupted. He tried to take a steadying breath, but the needle still shook. She felt him apply simple pressure to the gash, forgetting the stitching for moment.</p><p>"I'm glad you never told me. It was better that way. I would have had to pick between turning you in, as I was required to do, or keeping you and your bending a secret to protect the little girl I watched grow up." A long pause fell between them as he looked away for a moment. "I won't lie to you and say I would have kept your secret without hesitation."</p><p>The medic looked ashamed at his own admission. While it broke her heart to hear it, somewhere deep inside she had always known better then to trust Shiyu with this most important secret of hers. Katara was glad she heeded that inner voice. His words shook harder.</p><p>"Shiyu," Katara stated. "You don't need to keep stitching if you can't-"</p><p>"I'm <em>not</em> letting you die," the doctor interrupted. "You should know better than anyone that you'll bleed out if this wound isn't closed."</p><p>"I know, but you don't need to keep stitching, especially when you can't hold the needle without shaking. Just bring me some water." She took a steadying breath. Laying down had helped her vision stay clear for the time being.</p><p>"Karo," Shiyu ordered. The man presented Katara with a cup. Still on her back, Katara dipped her fingers in the water. Shiyu was silent as she touched her water laden fingers to the gash on her shoulder after pushing the blood-soaked cloth free.</p><p>She let the water glow with its soft healing light once it touched her skin instead of coaxing it to stay clear. Shiyu and his assistant both gasped as the wound closed before their eyes. Without being able to see all of it, Katara healed the wound by touch alone. Healing had become almost second nature to her now.</p><p>After several silent minutes, she slowly sat up, the torn gash in her shirt revealing tender pink skin and no fresh blood. The two stitches Shiyu had managed to complete now marred her unblemished skin. She took a deep breath to quell her spinning head. She knew the effects of blood loss when she felt them.</p><p>"Amazing," was the first thing Shiyu said. He moved to cut the threads in her chest free. "When? How?"</p><p>"I learned I would do this- healing with my waterbending, here," Katara answered. "I practiced on myself until I could do it without the water glowing and then I used my powers on the fighters." Shiyu, though still in shock, nodded.</p><p>"You used this- this healing, on the Prince didn't you? After the Agni Kai?" Katara nodded, thinking to herself that it was more than just then. Zuko had received her healing touch on more than one occasion.</p><p>"This is a gift, Katara," the medic finally said. "No wonder you picked up my techniques so fast. Healing runs in your blood." He shook his head and put a hand on her uninjured shoulder. He had never done anything like it before, and Katara was caught off guard by the tenderness of the gesture. "I'm sorry you're forced to fight in the arena like the others. If I could, I would take you back in a second. But I can't-"</p><p>"It's alright Shiyu," Katara sighed. She gave him a smile and her best determined look. "I'll be out of there before you know it." The guards seemed to have grown tired of waiting and wandered back inside, or at least she hoped it was because they were bored and not because they wanted to have an excuse to walk in on her without her clothing.</p><p>Shiyu gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, and he helped her off the table. The gesture reminded her of the time she saw Sokka and he had given her a warrior's parting when he left. She wondered if it was just a coincidence, or if Shiyu had remembered.</p><p>Seeing their fighter was still alive and well, the guards escorted the waterbender from the room. She glanced backward at Shiyu; he nodded once and gave her an encouraging grin. It was enough to keep her going even as the guards forced her back into her cell and left.</p><p>The others, especially her father, were happy she was still alive. Afterward, when the cells fell quiet, Katara sat alone in her thoughts, still smiling to herself when she thought to her growing number of supporters silently rooting for her to win her way to freedom.</p><p>...</p><p>Practice went well enough. The benders seemed more involved in Katara's triaing then their own and set up sparring matches to practice using more of the water at once. The gaurds watched them carefully, but never told them to break it up or go back to individual training methods like before.</p><p>The next week for Katara's sixth fight, she was paired up against her first nobleman in a mask. His mask was made of unpainted wood, the color of white-ash. She ignored the fact it looked nothing like the masks the other nobles wore, even though it seemed brand new, and focused on her bending. She won easily. It was the first masked fight of the day, but even so, Katara expected it to be more difficult. She had not been able to see the man's face, but he had not appeared to be trying very hard to defeat her with his sword. He moved with a practiced ease, but he had definitely held back a few times.</p><p>Shiyu once told her why the masked men choose to fight in the Arena. The higher notion of honor was brought up, but because they hid behind a mask, Katara was not sure how they could regain their honor or even lose it. Even so, it did not make sense to fight in the Arena if you were not going to even try, honor or not. Katara voiced none of these thoughts aloud, she was content in her painless victory. It was one more match down.</p><p>Before the guards could take her back to her cell, she spotted another soldier running from the gate that the masked nobles emerged from, towards the staging area and prison doorway. He reached her guard and took a few deep breaths after the unexpected exercise.</p><p>"Another man requested her," the guard explained after a moment. "Don't take her back yet."</p><p>"Tell him to pick some other prisoner, they don't fight more than once a day. We have plenty of other waterbenders." The guard who held Katara's bicep explained. While the conversation was interesting, Katara did not want to appear overly interested in it in case they stopped talking about it because they knew she was listening. She was not aware that prisoners could be requested by the nobles.</p><p>Katara was under the assumption that they could ask for the number of fighters to be presented with but not by bending discipline or even specific people. Instead, she listened with half an ear while looking around the area they stood in. Along the wall four men waited, her father was among them. Katara knew none of the others. They waited where the prisoners passed time until they were ushered on to fight. The guards always brought up the fighters several matches early, so everyone waited along the wall together. A man with a green sash was chosen from the group by a guard and brought in as the next match against a new masked fighter.</p><p>"We told him that," the guard explained. "He insisted he wanted to be the one to beat her streak. He was <em>very</em> convincing." The guard pulled out two silver coins from his breast pocket and passed them to the man holding onto Katara.</p><p>"Did he have any other requests?" The man asked, excepting the money without comment.</p><p>"He requested her specifically, and a single nonbender."</p><p>"Fine, tell him he's got it." The guard nodded and hurried off along the wall to stay away from the ongoing match. A nobleman fought against the nonbender man with a sword. Katara absentmindedly noticed that today was the day of swords, everyone seemed to use one if they were not a bender. This man did not have the same finesse as her own opponent, but he had double the strength.</p><p>They were well matched, until the nonbender reacted too slowly and the noble moved like an eagle-hawk to strike. The prisoner was lucky to escape serious injury, only a slice to his right arm. The crowd cheered and an announcement was made about the last match of the day.</p><p>"Number 94 into the center. Take the other two back," called the man who stood with Katara. She watched a guard force her father to stand and led him to where she waited. The other two men looked relieved as they vanished into the prison below, having not been chosen to fight.</p><p>Father and daughter were brought into the Arena. Hakoda selected as his weapon a long-bladed pike, and the water troughs were refilled to the top to replace what had been used during the last waterbending match, Katara's own. She swallowed her fear and looked to her father once their opponent appeared. The man was maybe in his late twenties, still young enough to overestimate his own ability. Katara looked to the curved blade he carried.</p><p>"Ready Katara?" Hakoda asked, his eyes not leaving the noble in the smiling red mask. Katara only had time to nod before they were under attack. The fire blast sent them darting apart to avoid it. Katara called water to her while her father charged. He feinted, trying to get the bender off balance and keep his attention away from her. It was not completely successful.</p><p>Her water shield sizzled when the flames struck it. Steal blades clanged as the bender's sword blocked her father's blade. Katara threw a stream of water between them, trying to knock the man's sword from his hand. He jumped away, his grip still tight on the hilt. The forgotten water pooled on the sand as Katara darted to her father's side.</p><p>Before she reached him, their opponent charged. She blocked the fire blast with ice but yelped and fell backward when his sword sliced right through the wall like butter. Shards of ice bounced off her hands as she tried to block her face, though she could feel some pieces graze her checks and forehead. They were shallow cuts; she hardly noticed them.</p><p>"Katara move!" Her father shouted. He appeared over her and blocked the sword's downward stroke with the wooden shaft of the pike. The sword bit deep with the dull thud; Hakoda twisted the weapon from his opponent's hands and threw both the sword and pike out of reach. He stood between the man and Katara, suddenly defenseless. The masked noble though, was not out of weapons. Katara rolled to her knees and thrust her hands forward just as the bender moved to attack her father. The jet of water barreled into him from the side and sent him flying.</p><p>Hakoda pulled Katara to her feet and they both turned to face the nobleman. He skidded near the fallen weapons, unwedged his sword from the pike, kicked the broken weapon aside, and leveled the blade in their direction. He advanced slowly, moving to circle them. Before Hakoda could get between the enemy and his daughter again, Katara stopped him.</p><p>"Dad," she stated, about to say more but paused mid thought. She knew he knew that he could not win this fight without the pike. Against a man with only a sword, maybe, but not an armed bender.</p><p>Katara did not have time to tell him to get behind her; a furious blast of flames bombarded them. They dove to each side. Katara felt the hungry flames lick at her skin, catching the ragged ends of her tunic sleeves on fire. She hurriedly swatted them out.</p><p>The nobleman focused his sword on Hakoda. Fearful for her father's life, Katara raced towards the firebender, streams of water following after her. Hakoda rolled, grabbing up the bladed end of his broken weapon as he did and hopping to his feet, ready to defend himself. He blocked the sword just in time, but that was all his weapon was good for. Katara directed a water whip at the firebender, but he saw it from the corner of his eye and spun to slice at it with this sword. Amazingly, the water lost its shape when the sword broke the surface tension and splashed everywhere. Katara hesitated in her confusion.</p><p>She had never seen that happen before, her water falling apart when it came into contact with another weapon. Though, no one had ever attacked her bending with a physical weapon either. A pained shout broke the silence of her thoughts. She saw her father fall backwards with his arms crossed in front of his face, his left sleeve on fire. She could smell burning hair and lifted the fallen water at her feet, sending it flying at the firebender. With a twist of her wrist, it hardened into spears of ice. A fire blast and quick sword work protected the man from all but two of the icicles. One sliced through the fabric at his chest and another shattered into his thigh.</p><p>The rage in the nobleman's eyes burned like the flames engulfing his fists. Katara retreated to the barrel of water, dodging hastily thrown flames each step. She figured she would buy her father some time with the nobleman focused on her. Glancing to him, she saw her father on his knees, looking at his hands, shaking. She could see the red burns on her his forearms from where she stood. They looked bad. No wonder she could smell the acidic odor of burned skin from here.</p><p>Gritting her teeth, Katara attacked the firebender with more ice. It seemed more resilient to flames. She would make him pay for this. Both feeding off their anger at the other, they traded blows, circling. After a particularly fierce fire blast, Katara tumbled to the ground. She shook loose hair from her face, her braid had long since fallen free.</p><p>She struggled to her feet, looking back at the water trough to see only the smallest amount left. Glancing forward at the noble again, Katara watched her life flash before her eyes. He almost moved in slow motion as he jumped at her, spinning to increase his own momentum. The gleaming edge of his sword was aimed to slice at her neck, a clear shot would mean her decapitation. In what she thought were her last moments, Katara aimlessly wondered why he was so angry to go for a killing blow.</p><p>And then, when the sword made contract, nothing mattered anymore. Blood flew, but it was not hers. Blue eyes widened in shock, almost not comprehending what just happened before her eyes. But her body reacted anyway, even if her mind had not caught up. The little remaining water left froze into a blade in her hand. Tears filling her eyes, she dove at the noble and stabbed him with the weapon in the soft spot below his collarbone, between the joint of his shoulder and rib cage. The nobleman screamed out in pain and dropped his sword. The match was called when he dropped to his knees and stared at the melting ice jammed in his chest, screaming, leaving Katara standing over him.</p><p>The waterbender left him to his meltdown and turned. Blood covered the ground around the body. She had no words as she threw herself down in the sand and dirt beside her father. Her hands shook, but she took his in her own. When he did not flinch at the contact with the burnt skin, she knew he had gone into shock. The damage was severe. She reached for water, but found nothing.</p><p>"Katara," Hakoda whispered. Blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth. The girl shook as silent sobs racked her body. Hot tears threatened to blur her vision. Her father's face went fuzzy, but even that did not change the fact that she had seen the wound the sword had dealt. She had watched her father step in front of the killing attack aimed at her, but he stood taller than her, and the clean swing aimed at her neck met him lower, slicing down into his shoulder and collarbone. The artery that she had learned to take a pulse from was severed; the wound was deep. She could see his bone through the slice on his shoulder. Her father's eyelids fluttered.</p><p>"Dad," Katara cried. She was vaguely aware of the guards around her. The crowd in the stands had fallen silent, or perhaps she had simply tuned them out. She did not care. Her father smiled up at her; she felt him try to give her hands a squeeze. There was no strength left in his grip. Her father, the man who had lifted her up to toss her into fresh piles of snow, no longer had the strength to even hold her hands.</p><p>"Katara," he said again. She could see him fighting to stay conscious, to focus on her eyes. "I'm so proud of you, Katara," he managed to say. She pushed the hair from his eyes. Biting her lip, she tried to smile, to be brave for him. This was not how she wanted her father to go, cut down in the middle of the Arena.</p><p>"I'm sorry I won't-" he gasped, "be here to see you win." He choked, spitting blood from his mouth.</p><p>"Shh," Katara coaxed, her tears dotted his grey clothing, mixing with blood from his wounds. She desperately wanted to save him, to heal him and show him that she could win like he believed she could, but she had no more water. She had used the last it to win the match with a nonfatal injury. That nobleman had walked away, where she knew her Father would not be so lucky.</p><p>Deep down, she knew all the healing water in the world would not save her father now; it was too late. Even he seemed to know it. He held onto life now only to deliver his final words. She kept a steady grip on his hands, feeling them grow cool under the scorching burn that covered them.</p><p>"You've done so well. You and Sokka. You've both made me so proud. Tell him that for me."</p><p>"Of course Dad, anything." She closed her eyes, letting her tears fall without shame. They dotted his skin, though even they weren't enough.</p><p>"I love you Daddy," she smiled, voice cracking. Hakoda met her gaze and closed his eyes. He gave her a smile.</p><p>"I love you too Katara." He struggled to draw a new breath. As much as his body insisted, he struggled to stay with her, bleeding out on the Arena floor. It pained Katara more then she realized. She leaned in and lay her forehead on his.</p><p>"You can let go now," she whispered. She paused for a moment then added. "Say hi to Mom and GranGran for me, ok?" With her permission, her father exhaled one last time and lay still. Katara's sobs gained a new voice. If she had cared, she was certain the whole Arena could hear her anguish.</p><p>The guards pulled her from her father's body, their patience worn thin, and dragged her back to her cell. She was hysterical the entire way.</p><p>Even in her cell, nothing anyone said could calm her. It did not take long for the others to guess the cause of her grief. Hakoda's cellmates noticed his absence and spread the news. The block let her cry without complaint. They all knew the loss of a loved one was hard. Her sobs continued through the night and only eased when she fell asleep at dawn, emotionally exhausted.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is from the song 'Please Don't Go' by Mike Posner</p><p>Apologies for the short (hopefully emotionally gut-wretching) chapter, It had to be separate from the next one</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. I Know What's At Stake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 18- I Know What's At Stake</strong>
</p>
<p>"It was like I was stuck dreaming the most horrible dream, until that swirl of flames broke me free to focus on living."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yes!" Zuko grinned from the private balcony he sat in with Lu Ten. They gave each other pleased grins as they watched Katara walk away from her sixth match with an easy victory. "She won."</p>
<p>"You expected different?" Lu Ten joked. The two princes stood and left the balcony, their two silent guards trailing after them. Had Zuko been alone, he doubted that anyone would have required him to have the extra protection, but with the heir apparent Prince Iroh still recovering and Lu Ten being his only child, he understood the need. Not that he cared about being followed around, it was only when they were outside the palace walls anyway.</p>
<p>They walked back to the palace at a leisurely pace. Zuko had nothing planned today other than watching the Arena matches. It was a typical day in the life of the youngest Fire Nation prince, yet it was so different from what his life had been only two months ago.</p>
<p>Yes, he had to find one of his father's servants to take over doing his laundry again, but that was not the issue at hand. He missed coming back to his room and having someone there. That night after Katara was taken away to the Arena, Zuko returned to his room and felt the emptiness for the first time. He realized how much he had come to rely on her presence in his room. Even if he had not known it at first, Katara had turned out to be a pleasant surprise in the end.</p>
<p>And it wasn't just the sex; though he would be lying if he said it didn't matter at all to him. He envied her curiosity as well as the unbridled passion she had. The fact that she was a waterbender, thus his elemental opposite was not lost on him.</p>
<p>He was pulled from his thoughts when Lu Ten paused outside a doorway. The youngest prince had not realized that they had made it back to the palace- this thoughts filled with Katara and how his life would once again change once she was free. They walked into Iroh's room; the bed was empty but the room was not.</p>
<p>"How did she do?" Iroh asked.</p>
<p>"She won," Zuko grinned. "I was worried Uncle. I wasn't sure he was going to throw the match like you said."</p>
<p>Lu Ten frowned. "He could have attempted to at least <em>look</em> like he was trying to win."</p>
<p>"Acting was never Chang's strong point," Iroh laughed. He moved away from the open window and sat back down on his bed. He touched his chest where the doctor had wrapped it to keep him from moving too much.</p>
<p>"Are you ok?" Lu Ten questioned. "You know the doctor said you need to stay in bed to regain your strength." Iroh sighed, but cooperated as his son moved the blankets aside.</p>
<p>"Don't worry about the doctor. I'm not about to wait around to get better while you two are off rigging Arena matches. How many more do you need?"</p>
<p>"Four more," Zuko answered. "And I know a guy who will throw a match for enough gold, so we have next week set."</p>
<p>Lu Ten nodded as Zuko reviewed the plan out loud. "As long as we keep getting our fighters to request her, she'll fight each week against one of them and not get paired up against one of those animals again." It had not been an easy match to watch. He was sure she was dead when the tiger-ox attacked, but somehow, she had defied the odds and won. He doubted that animal would ever fight again after what she did to it.</p>
<p>At first, the two youngest princes weren't sure their plan would work. As far as they knew, no one had ever asked for specific prisoners before. Since both Zuko and Lu Ten played the role of the Blue Sprit, they knew how the Arena worked, or at least they thought they did. Noblemen could leave their opponents up to the discretion of the guards or request certain types of prisoners and how many.</p>
<p>They had both done just that on multiple occasions to test their skills and to put on a show for the crowds. It was only a matter of time before someone tried to ask for a specific prisoner. With Katara it was easy. All they did was ask for the female waterbender. She was the only one they had seen fighting in years.</p>
<p>Ever since the last raid on the Northern Water Tribe four years back, the influx of new waterbenders was nil. The old ones were still fighting, hanging onto life, a dying breed in the arena. The Fire Lord had moved the entire strength of the military to the Earth Kingdom, thus the earth benders vastly outnumbered the waterbenders as prisoners. The crowds seemed to notice.</p>
<p>"That's only her next match," Iroh said finally. "What about after that?"</p>
<p>Lu Ten shrugged. "I'm sure we'll find someone. You don't have any more friends with Pai Sho debts, do you Dad?" Iroh chuckled.</p>
<p>"No, he was the only one. I bet he'd thought I'd forgotten about that one, it's been years since I've played for coins."</p>
<p>"If we need to, I'll fight as the Blue Spirit. It's about time we retired him anyway," Zuko added.</p>
<p>"Fighters don't retire after they've lost," Lu Ten scowled. "Especially with our track record. The blue spirit never losses-"</p>
<p>"He will if we need him to," Zuko stated. He watched his cousin set his features into a deep scowl.</p>
<p>Even though Zuko wore the mask just as much, the Blue Spirit had originally been Lu Ten's invention. It was only a matter of time before one of them slipped up and the city found out who was under the mask anyway. With the throne about to pass any month now, the royal family could not afford any mistakes. Both boys knew Azulon was watching his sons' every move, including his grandchildren.</p>
<p>"What are you planning once she wins all ten matches?" Iroh questioned. "She'll be free. And not just from the Arena. She won't be forced to come back here."</p>
<p>A knock at the door saved Zuko from having to answer. After Katara's admission of love in the prison, he hoped she would return to him. He did not want to imagine a world where she didn't.</p>
<p>An ordinary servant bowed and announced the meal was all but served in the dining room. Iroh would be brought a tray so he would not be forced to move, but the two younger princes headed out. They promised to keep Iroh updated.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>The next week, Zuko stood alone in the Fire Lord's private balcony. No guards came with him this time; he was not supposed to even be out of the palace. Azulon was ill once more and the rest of the family was in the palace watching over him. His father, oddly, was the most attentive to the ancient Fire Lord's needs. Zuko thought it was somewhat strange. He was under the impression that Iroh was the obvious heir to the throne and nothing his father did would change that.</p>
<p>The man Lu Ten hired to fight stepped out into the Arena. He was a low-ranking noble who had crossed the his cousin at a celebration once after they had both been drinking. He was a decent firebender, though it did not matter today. He would lose like he was paid to.</p>
<p>The moment Zuko saw Katara walk into the Arena, he saw the change. The prince knew that she only had the one set of clothing, made obvious since the rip at her shoulder from the tiger-ox attack was still unfixed, but she looked different. She moved slower walking out to the water trough that had been set up for her. The prince stood at the railing; his knuckles went white. Those guards had better not have forgotten his warning. When she turned to pull her first string of water, Zuko saw why she looked so different. She had lost weight, a lot of it.</p>
<p>The fight was fought almost in slow motion, but Zuko was only half watching. Her body was hidden under her baggy grey tunic, but the shadows in her face were dark. When she turned her torso to deflect a fire blast, the amount of extra clothing bunched around her frame was shocking. She took a hit and tumbled, rolling backwards several times. Luckily, this was not a normal competitor, and the noble did not exploit her moment of unbalance.</p>
<p>Gold eyes closed as he lowered his head in thought. What had happened that could have affected her so much? Yes, she had lost weight initially when she was sent to the Arena, but the prisoners were only feed enough to keep them able to fight. Katara's condition now pointed to her not eating at all, or at least very little. Something had happened that he was unaware of, something important. He was going to find out; she could not give up now. There was no way he was going to let the fire he had seen in her fade. Not like this.</p>
<p>He sighed and felt the flames curl at the end of his breath. He waved them into nothing, focusing on reining in his thoughts. It had been a while since he'd let his own fire slip through uncontrolled like that.</p>
<p>A shout woke him from his musings. Katara stood once more with water in her hands. The noble attacked back, kicking blasts of fire at her. A water shield turned flying ice wall did both offense and defense along with winning her the match. The nobleman surrendered and Katara dropped the water in her hands. At the last second, she looked up, locking gazes with the youngest prince.</p>
<p>She gave him a sad smile before turning and walking herself to the guards who took her away. The prince was even more confused now. He was sure she had completely given up; what had changed her mind at the last second?</p>
<p>Zuko left the balcony and headed down to the Arena floor. He would get to the bottom of this. He walked with purpose towards the entryway that the nobles used to access the arena. Not paying too much attention to where he was going, the young prince nearly collided with someone headed the opposite way. Katara's match had been the last one of the day, so the hallways buzzed with people. The prince was surprised who he had bumped into.</p>
<p>"Prince Zuko, please forgive me," the man bowed. "I wasn't looking where I was going." Zuko recognized the man as the Arena medic, his uncle's friend. He was curious what the man was doing in such a hurry, but soon realized maybe he could answer his questions about Katara.</p>
<p>"Its fine," Zuko stated. "Have you seen Katara recently?"</p>
<p>"No my prince. Only a few weeks back after her match with the the Tiger-Ox," Shiyu shook his head. "I only see the fighters if they need medical attention. She's escaped her matches unscathed, for the most part." Zuko scowled.</p>
<p>"Well something happened to her," he said bluntly. "Did you hear anything?"</p>
<p>"Nothing about her specifically. All I know is last week was particularly brutal. My office was swamped, and that doesn't even include the handful of deaths. She might have-"</p>
<p>Zuko tuned him out for a moment, thinking. "Does- Did- she have any family here?"</p>
<p>"She mentioned a brother when she worked with me. But he was bought by the nobles as a contract fighter. Maybe she heard something about him?"</p>
<p>Zuko nodded, spun on his heel, and left the medic alone in the doorway. He had to see for himself if it was the death of her brother that had caused her depression. Personally, he wouldn't mind not having Azula around, but he would not wish her dead. Even with the fact that she had become more intolerable then usual to be around, he could not imagine life without her.</p>
<p>Zuko had never been to the compound where he was headed, but he knew where it was located, roughly. While it would had been easier to simply ask Katara, he could not risk another trip to see her. The guards all knew why he would be there this time. It was only a matter of time before word got back to his father. And if Ozai knew how his son was passing his time: fixing Arena matches and visiting a certain prisoner, Zuko was certain Katara's life would then be forfeit. Even if she did manage to get free. He knew <em>her</em> freedom would be flimsy at best. Over the past week he'd looked into what winning would buy her and what he found wasn't promising. It wouldn't make her Fire Nation. It wouldn't make people accept her. It wouldn't even make her return to him and the way things were.</p>
<p>Which brought him to the thought of <em>why</em> he was doing this. At first, he had been ok to let fate run its course. Arguing with this father had yielded nothing, so he assumed Katara was lost to him. But eventually, the guilt, something he had never felt anywhere near this strong weighed on him. He had been the one to ask Katara to heal his uncle. If she had not used her bending, she would still be here, in the palace, with him. Azula would call him weak.</p>
<p>The prince wondered why it mattered so much, what did she mean to him that he wanted her around so badly. Her own admission of her feelings shocked him. He had heard her say she loved him. Did he love her back? Zuko wasn't completly sure. All he knew for certain, was that he wanted her out of the Arena and somewhere where he could protect her, where she could life without fear and be happy.</p>
<p>Did that mean he loved her? Why else would he be standing before a door to try and find out why Katara was depressed and not eating? He knocked.</p>
<p>A guard dressed in a cream tunic with crimson padded armor opened the door. Zuko realized he had no idea what he should tell the guard in front of him. He did not have a description or the name of the man he was looking for.</p>
<p>"The master is out," the guard announced. "If you were looking to purchase one of the fighters, you'll need to wait until he returns." Before he could look too confused, Zuko processed the man's words and said,</p>
<p>"I'm not ready to buy without getting a good look at them first." Zuko had not been aware that the group of nobles who had bought up their contracts could sell them afterwards. He was slowly realizing the whole business of the arena was a realm shadowed in secrets. It was naive of him to think that the prisoners just stayed there, safe in their cells until their next fight or even that they could not be sold off like the property they were considered. He realized that if Katara had not been a bender but had ended up in the Arena, she would not have been there long before someone snatched her up. His blood boiled, but he tried to keep it contained in front of the guard.</p>
<p>"Of course sir." The guard opened the door and let Zuko inside. The title the guard used to address him was odd. There was no way anyone in the capital city would not recognize him. His distinguishing scar was always on display. Either the guard was truly an idiot, or he was attempting to respect his privacy.</p>
<p>"What skills were you looking for?"</p>
<p>"I'm not sure," Zuko answered. "I was hoping to find one of them that I'd seen fight." He added, "you haven't had any deaths recently? Have you?" The question sounded forced. The guard shrugged.</p>
<p>"Not within the month." He lead him underground to the cells. "But, if you're looking for a certain fighter and haven't seen him, he might have been chosen already. Once you hold the contract, you'll be able to pick their fighting and training schedules." The guard unlocked the door to the cellblock and let Zuko inside. The information did not make sense to him, the death would need to be recent, within the week.</p>
<p>"Look around. The master is due back soon. I'll send him down if you're still there." Zuko nodded and looked down the hallway. It was the same set up as the prison cells Katara lived in, only the atmosphere was different. As he walked, the prince noticed the bedrolls and ample lighting, how there were only two fighters in each cell. No wonder these fights were more entertaining, these men were better off, somewhat.</p>
<p>A few men came to their cell doors when Zuko walked by; he had no idea when to look for. Water tribe: He knew where she was from. It was not much to go by, but it was all he had. Zuko swallowed his pride.</p>
<p>"I'm looking for a man from the water tribe," Zuko stated, talking to the two men in the cell to his right. One looked away with a frown.</p>
<p>The second man laughed. "You've got to be more specific than that. That statement could apply to almost half of us down here."</p>
<p>"A young man from the <em>Southern</em> Water Tribe," Zuko clarified, hoping he remembered the correct direction. "One who has a sister here in the capital. Is he still alive?" The quiet man growled out an answer.</p>
<p>"Of course he's alive. No one dies under our captors' care." His words held acid.</p>
<p>"He's further down the hall," the first man answered, "Keep asking for Sokka. You'll find him." Zuko nodded. Even though he knew her brother was alive now and not the cause of her change, he found himself headed down the corridor.</p>
<p>"Sokka?" Zuko asked aloud, every few cells he passed. "Sokka?" He felt more stupid the further he walked until finally he paused. In the next cell on his left, a young man his age stood at the bars waiting. Blue eyes watched him approach.</p>
<p>"Sokka?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"You're Katara's brother," he stated dumbly. Sokka's eyes widened.</p>
<p>"How do you know my sister?" He demanded, gripping the bars. Zuko felt the boy give him a quick once over. The prince was almost glad for the bars between them. Just the tone of his voice made it obvious how much he cared for her and what a brother might already assume and get defensive over.</p>
<p>"How do you know Katara?" Sokka repeated, enunciating her name. "Why were you looking for me?" Sokka's cellmate sat on his cot, silently watching the boy's knuckles whitening on the bars.</p>
<p>"I thought you were dead," Zuko admitted. "I had to see for myself... she's not well and I wanted to find the cause of it."</p>
<p>"Dead?" Sokka questioned. The second part of Zuko's statement seemed to register with him then. His tenseness loosened to concern. "What's wrong with Katara? And how do <em>you</em> know? She's with the arena medic."</p>
<p>"She's not." Since he could not ask Katara, the guards were no help, and Shiyu had only had this single lead, Zuko figured this was his only way to get closer to the truth. To do that though, the boy had to get caught up to speed.</p>
<p>"Katara was caught bending. She's in the arena." He watched the boy's face go white. Every fear seemed to cross his face in a single moment.</p>
<p>"No." He fell to his knees. The rest of the men around them who had been listening to the conversation tried to hold back gasps, some succeeded, but a good deal failed. Zuko crouched by the bars and was reminded of a similar scene, only now it was Katara's brother who he looked at, not her.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Zuko sighed, bowing his head. "Do you know why she would suddenly give up? Its' not like her to-"</p>
<p>"<em>Why</em>?" Sokka demanded. "Because being sent to the Arena isn't enough? She's probably learned firsthand what happens to all the women prisoners by now. Just think about it. Are you so <em>selfish</em> that you want her to live like that for the rest of her life?"</p>
<p>"You don't give her nearly enough credit," Zuko growled. Sokka might be her brother, but Zuko knew what she was capable of. He closed his fists before the heat rising in them grew to more. Standing tall, he left Sokka on the ground. Now, it was the boy should be thankful of the bars. </p>
<p>"Yes, the guards got to her before I could order them not to touch her. But even then, she was willing to fight, to keep living with the hope that things would get better. But something's changed this time. She's thinner and doesn't look like herself. I heard that it might be because someone she knew died. I thought it was you, but it's obviously not." Sokka looked up, mulling over Zuko's words.</p>
<p>"Now, can you think of anyone else whose death would have affected her this way?" The prince asked. Zuko crossed his arms while he let Sokka think for a moment. The water tribe boy swallowed hard and blinked away the beginnings of tears.</p>
<p>"What?"</p>
<p>"It might be- our father." With that admission, Zuko knew he found the answer. The death of her father had hit her hard, and she was still mourning his loss. Sokka bowed his head once more; droplets hit the ground from his hidden tears. Zuko had not realized how close this family was. He would have felt the loss if Ozai had died, but it would not be so uncontrollable that he would have cried in front of a stranger- even silently. Maybe if he lost his mother, but that was a whole different thought that he refused to even let cross his mind. Without her, he'd be lost.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry," Zuko said again, moving to leave Sokka to the semblance of privacy he had in these cells. He only took four steps before he was called.</p>
<p>"Wait!" Sokka called, his voice cracked. "Why do you care so much about Katara? You never told me how you knew her." Zuko did not turn around fully, only enough to make eye contact. Sokka's cellmate had joined him on the floor, a hand on his shoulder in comfort. If the boy didn't know who he was, he didn't need to start now.</p>
<p>"She served my family and I, and I promised to keep her safe. It's a promise I intend to keep." Zuko walked down the hall and out the door, right past the guard who let him in without a word. He needed to speak with Lu Ten.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>"You want to get a message to her?" Lu Ten asked, shock evident in his voice. "Why can't you just visit her again and tell her that way?" Zuko shook his head. He had told Lu Ten about his first visit. It had been a last second decision on his part at the time.</p>
<p>"I don't think I can get past the guards again without news of it getting back to my father," Zuko admitted.</p>
<p>"What about the Blue Spirit?" Lu Ten offered.</p>
<p>"I'd rather get caught as myself before I risk revealing who's under the mask."</p>
<p>"What did you do the last time you showed up that the guards would want to get back at you?" Lu Ten asked incredulously, though his smile was more mischievous then confused.</p>
<p>"You <em>don't </em>want to know, and I don't want to take any chances," Zuko admitted. "Can you get her next opponent to deliver the message?"</p>
<p>"I think I can do one better," Lu Ten offered. "One of the maids has a brother who works in the Arena. She was complaining to one of the chefs about how he just lost his last two weeks pay gambling.</p>
<p>"So?" Zuko shrugged.</p>
<p>"So the man could use some coin," Lu Ten grinned. Just give me the message you want her to get and I'll take care of the rest."</p>
<p>Zuko grinned. "I'll write it up tonight then, but what makes you so sure that he'll do what you ask without asking questions? Why would he listen to you?"</p>
<p>"Because <em>I</em> didn't storm into the break-room threatening bloody murder if so much as a hair was out of place on a certain waterbender's head." Lu Ten grinned. Zuko gapped at his cousin. The older boy knew exactly what happened; maybe he had more strings to pull then Zuko was aware of.</p>
<p>"Also," Lu Ten added. "I'm giving him money. That always helps." The two princes laughed aloud and went back to their lounging in the gardens in silence. With the palace buzzing with guards and the doctor's assistants, there was hardly any room to breathe. Azula and Zuko were swept aside as thoughts turned to protecting the heirs until the crown passed or the Fire Lord recovered. Zuko knew not how his sister was taking the lack of attention, but he would enjoy every second.</p>
<p>At least Iroh was doing better. All the focus was on Azulon now, so Iroh had time to himself to get up and walk the palace with his son. He was recovering much faster and almost completely healed according to the doctor. Iroh insisted Katara had done an excellent job, and if he had been allowed, he could have been up and about a month ago.</p>
<p>That evening, he wrote up his note for Katara. It took him several tries, but two empty ink pots and a pile of crumpled parchment later he rolled up the note and sealed it with the royal insignia, a dual tipped flame.</p>
<p>He knew not to tell her the plan in case the letter was read by someone who could expose them, so he kept it short and concise, expressing his concern for her as well as acknowledging her need to mourn.</p>
<p>He finished the note with the fact that he missed her and that he knew she had the will to win her last few matches. He wanted to say more, but the words were lost to him. He had never been one to easily express his feelings with words. Even though it was not the best, Katara would understand his message and not give in. He was sure her father would have wanted her to win and get out, something he had made sure to include. He handed the note to Lu Ten and hoped it made it to Katara unharmed.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Neither Lu Ten nor Zuko were able to see Katara's match at the next Arena day. It worried Zuko, but the meeting that had been called was for more important than he could have originally guessed.</p>
<p>The entire royal family, minus Ursa had been called to the war room to meet with Azulon and a handful of officers who were headed off to the Earth Kingdom the next morning. The Fire Lord was visibly thinner after his illness, but he was no less powerful. The flames around his throne burned high as a testament to his health.</p>
<p>"-with the newest weapons we're sending tomorrow, this will be the beginning of the end," concluded the engineer. He pointed to the schematics he displayed. It was a rendering of a war balloon, but it was armored more like a tank. The drawing showed where fire benders could stand to attack, shielded by defensive plates of metal. It was a good design, but Azulon voiced his disapproval.</p>
<p>"You've been telling me your inventions would end this war for years. What makes this machine any different?" Zuko almost felt bad for the man as he wrung his fingers to counteract his nerves, except his grandfather had a point.</p>
<p>The man croaked. "Well, It's how you use the machine."</p>
<p>"So your saying my armies aren't using these balloons to their potential?" Azulon questioned accusingly. "Caption Shaw, how would your division use this balloon?" The officer hesitated only a moment. He was much more used to the hot seat then the engineer.</p>
<p>"To transport our men across enemy lines faster for surprise attacks." Azulon accepted the answer as a bored school teacher would. The engineer looked as if he wanted to melt into the floor.</p>
<p>"Is that what you envisioned for this war balloon?" Azulon asked. His tone suggested he had his own opinions but liked putting the nervous man on the spot.</p>
<p>"Well I-I," the man stuttered. "Y-yes, I suppose that would be a good use." Zuko turned to the table in front of him, the map of the world stared back on him. In the reflection of the polished wood, he caught his father and his sister share a glance. Zuko was about to turn and try to read his sister's intentions but did not need to. She rose to her feet and bowed to Azulon.</p>
<p>"If I may," she offered, her grin concealed from her grandfather, but Zuko could see it. He was sure Lu Ten could too since he sat on Zuko's other side. "I have a way to use this balloon that may be of interest."</p>
<p>"Speak," Azulon ordered. He waved her free of her bow and the Princess of the Fire Nation took the stage.</p>
<p>"Instead of using the machine simply for transport, we can use them to attack." The engineer scurried out of her way when she approached the schematic.</p>
<p>"If we position our benders at these openings, we can fly over the Earth Kingdom armies and send waves of fire down over them. The metal shields here should be able to protect against any rocks that are flung to try and take down the ships. No one will be able to escape your armies' might as they rain fire over Earth Kingdom lands and conquer the world." Azula turned to face her grandfather.</p>
<p>"Hmmm," he nodded, his hand on his chin in thought. The smile Azula wore was devious. Across the table, Ozai and Iroh's expressions could not be more opposite. Ozai glowed with pride where as Iroh tried to conceal his shock at Azula's blatant hunger for full-scale devastation and suffering.</p>
<p>"Caption Shaw. Keep this idea in mind as you head back to the front. I will send an order when I feel it's the correct time to unleash it."</p>
<p>"Yes, your majesty," the officer replied. The meeting ended and the room was dismissed, but Azulon stayed in his throne, the flames rising and falling with his breath.</p>
<p>"Ozai, Iroh," he said. "I'd like to speak with you for a moment." The three grandchildren were waved away and the doors closed behind them.</p>
<p>"What was that Azula?" Zuko asked. "Where did you get an idea like that? What if grandfather hadn't-"</p>
<p>"But he did. I know how much he wants to win this war. Father's been telling me about his ideas while he took care of him when he was ill." She frowned and looked to the doors. The sound of fire snapping in the air was the only noise.</p>
<p>"What do you think they're talking about?" Zuko finally asked.</p>
<p>"The succession of the throne," was Lu Ten's answer. It was so blunt, both Azula and Zuko were thrown.</p>
<p>Zuko tried to sound sure of himself. "But Uncle Iroh is next in line. What's to discuss?"</p>
<p>"Maybe grandfather's having second thoughts about leaving the throne to a-"</p>
<p>"Don't start Azula," Zuko interrupted. Lu Ten had cringed for the impact of her words but kept his gaze on the door. It was no secret that Azula disliked her uncle.</p>
<p>"Whatever it is," he stated. "It must be important." The three grandchildren stared at the locked door, only guessing what transpired inside.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>The next week, Zuko found himself standing in the vestibule where the masked nobles gathered before their matches. Lu Ten and himself had not found a match for Katara that week, but the two of them knew that they had to keep her streak going. When they learned she had won the match they missed due to the meeting, their hand had been forced.</p>
<p>Zuko stood against the wall, alone, dressed as the Blue Sprit. He would lose and give her a ninth win. It would buy them enough time to find someone to be her final opponent. Someone who didn't mind being unmasked before the entire kingdom when they lost. Maybe they could find and pay one of the colony refugees to throw the match. Money would do them more good then protecting whatever little honor they might lose. He filed the idea away for later.</p>
<p>The guard entered the space that the four masked fighters waited in. Zuko was out of the way towards the end, so he had to wait while the others gave him their Arena aliases and asked for whatever bending opponents they wanted. There was no rush to anyone's movements, they still had maybe half an hour until they would go on and conclude the fights of the day. The guard approached Zuko last.</p>
<p>"Who would the Blue Spirit like to challenge today?" There was a benefit to constantly fighting, the guards knew his alias without asking. Anything to talk less under the mask was a positive.</p>
<p>"The waterbender. The girl." The guard smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. Apparently, Katara was known by the guards just as well as he was.</p>
<p>"Finally!" The guard laughed. "A real challenger. You waited long enough to break her streak though." Zuko nodded to keep up the charade. He had every intention of losing the match, though he would make it look like he was trying. From what he'd been watching over the last few months, Katara was a far different fighter then the one he faced in the training room at the palace.</p>
<p>"You'll go last then," the guard said as he composed himself. "This is a big match. I'm sure the stands will be packed to see how this girl does on the biggest match of the year." Zuko could only nod as the guard walked back out the door to the Arena floor. He assumed he was getting the requested fighters, but the prince was not truly that interested.</p>
<p>He was more curious about what the guard meant by this fight being the biggest match of the year. Unless Katara had gained a following of citizens in the stands, he was not so sure why everyone would want to watch her in this fight. Sure, he knew the Blue Sprit was a crowd pleaser, but that alone could not have been the reason.</p>
<p>The first man was called into the staging area to get a feel for the crowd and prepare his weapons if he needed. Zuko touched the two swords on his back and leaned his shoulder against the wall once more. A deep breath calmed him somewhat, but he felt a seed of doubt grow in him. Something was off.</p>
<p>Minutes faded until almost an hour had gone by. Finally, the waiting area was empty, and the guard waved Zuko over. He had spent the time doing a small warm up that included light swordplay. As he walked to the door, he made sure his mask was on properly, so it had no chance of slipping. This was the one match he needed to keep under wraps. He stepped out in the sunlight. The crowd went wild when they saw him.</p>
<p>Before the door could close, a shout echoed down the corridor behind him.</p>
<p>"Wait!" Zuko flinched when he recognized the voice. He turned back and looked to Lu Ten. The guard leaned in to see who was causing the disturbance, but Zuko put his hand up to block him. They shouldn't be seen together. What was his cousin doing? Lu Ten moved closer, there was panic in his eyes.</p>
<p>"We miscounted," he hissed, trying not to talk to loud. Under the mask Zuko frowned. He felt his heart race.</p>
<p>"How?"</p>
<p>"Hey, Blue Spirit," the guard called. "The girl is here. The match is starting." The man put a hand on Zuko's shoulder and tried to shut the door. Zuko wedged his foot between the frame and motioned for Lu Ten to explain. He spoke quickly.</p>
<p>"She fought two matches in one day, after we left," Lu Ten said.</p>
<p>"But-"</p>
<p>Lu Ten interrupted. "It doesn't matter how. It happened, and now you're the deciding opponent. This is her tenth match."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is from the song "Whatever it takes" by Lifehouse</p>
<p>I know Zuko's POV was requested initially, so hopefully you liked his chapter. Next one holds the exciting conclusion!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. The Fire in Your Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>-Chapter 19- The Fire in Your Eyes</strong>
</p><p>"And after that, things would never be the same. For either of us."</p><p> </p><p>Katara almost did not believe her eyes as her opponent stepped onto the field. It had to be Zuko under the mask of the Blue Spirit now, since Lu Ten would still need to be resting his arm. The waterbender glanced up to the royal balcony and saw it was full. Expecting only Lu Ten, she was surprised to instead see Prince Iroh and Ozai along with Ursa and Azula. If the Fire Lord was there as well, he was out of sight. Why would they all be here today? <em>It's not because this is my last match, right?</em> There must be another reason. She couldn't recall any special announcements before the matches began- but she had never paid attention to that before. Whatever it was, Katara put the thoughts on hold when the Blue Spirit charged, swords drawn.</p><p>She reached for the water in the trough, spiraling it towards her, then using the momentum to fire it at her opponent. It missed, but whether it was because Zuko could read her moves or she had not aimed one hundred percent accurately was unstated.</p><p>She was trying to win, but it was hard to put the effort into the match when she knew who was under the mask.</p><p>If their last fight was anything to go by, they both knew who would win this one. She had no idea why he would tell her to keep winning and then ruin all her hard work with a single match with him as he opponent. Unless she had misread his words, but she highly doubted that.</p><p>The note she had gotten from him reminded her to not give up, to keep fighting until she won her last match and was free. It was not until he had promised she would get her freedom, though not outright, at the end of the note that she wondered what he was up to.</p><p>The waterbender kept her thoughts to herself that the prince was somehow contributing to her winning streak. It was information that she was not willing to make public in the cells, no matter how much she trusted the men around her.</p><p>When the others asked about the letter with its unbroken seal of red wax delivered by a guard one morning. She told them who it was from without hesitation. She spoke of how the prince knew of her father's death and willed her not to lose hope. Her outward depression had since lessened, though the hole in her heart still ached. Little did Zuko know that he had been the one to snap her out of it the Arena during her ninth match. His small burst of fire rocked her focus free from her thoughts of following after her father to see everyone she loved once more. It still hurt, and the pain would never completly stop, but it would ease. She had other people, other goals to keep fighting her. To keep living for.</p><p>Those flames grounded her, more than the cool water in her hands could ever have done. They reminded her of everything she had gained in the capital, not what she had lost. Being the symbol of the nation that enslaved her and her people made no difference. She associated red flames with the youngest Prince, not his nation. </p><p>That same prince swung his two swords at her knees; Katara jumped backwards, the metal sword kissing the soles of her shoes but not doing harm. She would not let him get close enough to get another near-hit in.</p><p>A deep breath refocused her thoughts and she directed a water whip in his direction. It hit his shoulder but did little to stop his next attack. One sword followed the other in a swooping arc; both bit the dirt where she had been standing moments before.</p><p>Without time to recover, the Blue Spirit attacked her again. Her ice shield was sliced clean through, but she melted it into a small wave, remolding the split water and pushed Zuko backward. Above, she heard the roar of the crowd. The Blue Spirit was a fan favorite, and after her time in the arena, Katara knew why. Even as she fought him now, it was amazing a firebender would take the time to master a sword as the two princes had done. Zuko moved with such grace, the dual swords an extension of his arms. While today he put slightly too much effort into his slices, she had watched him enough to know that he knew how to use the weapon to its full advantage. It was not just a sharp stick, which was how others used the swords they swung around.</p><p>Which made her wonder why he was putting so much effort into his thrusts and swings. It almost looked comical, if it was not for the fact that one close call would result in her losing not only the match, but maybe a body part or two. She considered the fact that he was acting for the crowd, trying to show them he was attempting to beat her, without actually beating her. But if he lost-</p><p>He pressed her hard, not allowing her the same openings he had shown when they sparred at the palace. When Katara found the blade passing short of her face, she wondered if maybe Zuko was <em>not</em> going to let her win. He was trying awfully hard to get inside her guard.</p><p>The thought was shoved to a dark corner of her mind, but her blood still boiled. The Blue Spirit backed off, circling, but giving her enough space to make the next move. Not willing to take any chances, Katara needed a way to end the match. </p><p>Without his firebending, her opponent could only use close range attacks within the swing of his swords. It gave her an advantage; he had to get close to hit her, and her accuracy improved the closer he came. All she needed to do was disable him to win, she was sure that would be enough.</p><p>Before she could get her head around a more specific plan of action, Zuko stepped forward and moved to the edge of her vision. Panic coupled with reflex swung her body around, arms following behind, palms open to the stream of water at her command. She attacked based on where he should be and hit her mark, too well. The water had not been a straight shot, instead angled upward to hit the Blue Spirit in the jaw.</p><p>Katara watched in horror as the blue demon mask was blasted off Zuko's face. It fell to the ground several feet behind him. She met the prince's eyes, her fear mirrored in them. The crowd went silent in the stands, but neither of them looked away from the other. As far as Katara could remember, no fighter had been unmasked <em>during</em> a fight before. It was always after the fight, usually made into a grand show of defeat.</p><p>She was not sure if there was a protocol they should follow since it was obvious who he was now, so Katara did not move from her last stance, arms outstretched hanging in the air between them. It was as if moving would break the spell of silence that had fallen over the world.</p><p>...</p><p>Zuko's life flashed before his eyes as the suffocating closeness of the porcelain mask was pulled from his face. The prince forced himself not to duck his face and try to keep his identity a secret. If he had been anyone else, it might have been possible, but his scar, even from up in the stands, was plainly visible against his pale skin.</p><p>His heart threatened to pound out of his chest. When he tried to think of his father's reaction up in the balcony, the first thing that came to mind was how to protect Katara. She was the reason he stepped into the Arena. And then thoughts of what would happen to him closed in. He imagined what his Father might do if he lost to an Arena fighter, and his loss allowed her go free. He knew his whole family was up in the stands, it had been near impossible to fake being sick that morning to get out of joining them. No one told him why they were all going to the Arena today, though he hadn't bothered to ask either. But he couldn't back out of fighting today.  Who knew what the arena master might have thought to do in order to put on a show for the royal family. Little did he know he'd given his nation a performance they'd never forget- just not the way any of the royal family needed.</p><p>Zuko had to decide how to proceed, <em>now</em>, before someone could call the match and no one would win. If that happened- they'd both be ruined. He took a breath.</p><p>...</p><p>The peace was shattered with fire.</p><p>Zuko roared as he sent a blast of fire her way. Katara dove, rolling to her feet seconds later. She countered with her water, streaming it across the Arena. Her advantage was lost. The arena filled with steam as they exchanged blows.</p><p>She felt the stirrings of fear for her own life; it had been several weeks since she had been worried like this during a match. But for as nervous as she was, she knew the prince was fearful as well. She saw it in his gold eyes. It did not take a genius to figure out why. Katara knew the royal family was present and watching. In fact, practically the whole capital was watching, judging on how crowded the stands were. There was no way he could lose this match now that it was <em>him</em> fighting. He might have been able to talk his way out of it as the Blue Spirit, even when finally unmasked. The Blue Sprirt was a persona, he had weaknesses. Zuko was a Prince. And Royalty were supposed to be perfect.</p><p>That abstract concept of honor made sense to her now, almost; if he let her win, he would lose not only the match, but his honor as well. Even though she understood, she could not let him win. Her own dreams of freedom rode on his fight. Whether she fought the Blue Spirit or the Prince of the Fire Nation, the result would be the same. They both stood to lose much if they lost, and Katara knew Zuko knew that. The winner would be the one who wanted it more.</p><p>Katara rained icicles down on Zuko. Flaming swords made quick work of them, but he was not out of the danger. Water turned to ice at his feet; the steam crystallized into snowflakes. The prince spun on his heel, noting the patches of ice before the sparse snow covered them. His breath steamed in the frosty air, a definite change from the warmth he was used to. Pulling the hood of his clothing free from his head to run a now ungloved hand over his hair, the prince looked to Katara.</p><p>Katara took several steadying breaths. Already her work was melting in the Fire Nation sun. She needed to use it while lasted. It had taken so much focus to freeze everything over as she had done. After another breath misted in the air, she used more water in half-a-dozen separate streams to attack. Zuko managed to avoid them and get between the water and her. His move surprised her. He did not need to get close to attack anymore.</p><p>A ball of flames grew in his hands, blasted at her from only a short distance away. She blocked with the snow from the ground at her feet; steam hissed to life around them. Blinded for a moment, the view of the stands vanished. Katara heard the shouts around her and almost missed avoiding the latest attack.</p><p>She fell into a low crouch to avoid it and only then noticed Zuko's silhouette behind the blast, leaping towards her. In a split-second decision, she dove forward, under his feet, condensing the thinning steam back to water as she twisted around to face him.</p><p>His surprise had been obvious in the second their eyes met before she passed under him. She saw the surprise, but underneath it was fear. Whether it was his fear of hurting her or his fear of losing the match, she knew not. In her eyes though, contrasting with the deep blue that gave her away as a waterbender, Zuko saw flames. The fire that burned in her eyes, against her very elemental nature, made him falter.</p><p>And in his hesitation, Katara's attack overcame him. The blast of water formed from the meeting of their elements slammed him off his feet and to the ground. The crowd gasped, they could once again see what happened below the second Katara had called to the steam to her and cleared the air.</p><p>She stood over Zuko as he turned over to lay on his back, propped up on one elbow. A cloud of icicles hung suspended in the air around the two of them. Katara watched the prince examine the situation: the icicles, her standing over him, her determined expression.</p><p>She stood there waiting, but no one called the match even though it was obvious she was victorious. Did the Arena Master want her to kill him? Could she do it if pressed? The Prince and the waterbender shared a look. She understood without words what she needed to do. Throwing her hands forward, the ice spears dove for the fallen firebender.</p><p>"Stop!" the announcer called. It was too late; all the ice hit its intended target. Luckily, even though he flinched, Zuko had not been the bull's eye. He breathed a sigh of relief that would have been insulting to Katara if she had not been so nervous herself.</p><p>"The winner of the match is the waterbender!" The announcer called. Over the cheers of the few delighted fans she had gained, she could hear the shouts of disappointment aimed at the prince. The announcer called something else about it being her tenth win but Katara heard none of it. She offered her fallen prince a hand, helping him to his feet. He wore a smile, but his eyes were shadowed.</p><p>"Congratulations," he turned to her, his voice hollow.</p><p>"Zuko, I-" she started to say. It would have been a rushed apology for taking something that was hers anyway. It was probably a good thing she was interrupted.</p><p>"Zuko!" called a voice from across the Arena. The two looked away from each other just in time to see Lu Ten hurrying to them. No one seemed to care that they lingered. It was the last match of the day. The crowds looked to the royal balcony as if expecting something, but nothing happened. No one called their attention, the Fire Lord didn't appear. Katara turned back to Zuko, but his attention was on his cousin.</p><p>"Zuko," the young man repeated, glancing behind his back at the royal balcony. Now, Katara saw the princess leaning on the railing; she was sure a bright grin resided on the girl's face. Alongside her, standing a few feet back was Zuko's mother and Prince Iroh. She could have sworn she saw movement in the back of the balcony, but it was probably just a trick of the light.</p><p>"Zuko, it's your father, he's-"</p><p>"I don't want to hear it Lu Ten," Zuko interrupted. Katara took a step back. As happy as she was that she was free, the fear in Lu Ten's voice was unnerving.</p><p>A group of guards approached them, escorting a man with a rolled parchment. Upon close inspection, Katara noticed one of the guards held her palace clothing that she had brought up from her cell to leave in the waiting area. She had done it much to the guard's chagrin who brought her up, saying she should not get her hopes up about winning. How she had proven him wrong.</p><p>Lu Ten grabbed at Zuko's arm. "Let's go." He directed his next statement at Katara without looking at her. "Don't worry. We'll just be outside." They walked off, leaving the arena.</p><p>Katara understood the need to distance themselves until she actually claimed her prize. Then no one could think that the two princes had planned on getting her out in the first place. In the stands, the chaos had grown. It appeared that the entire stadium was in an uproar. The approaching men radiated nervous energy as well. It was almost as if they worried the crowd would storm the Arena.</p><p>"Congratulations," the announcer said without meaning it. "What is the name I can put-?"</p><p>"Katara," she replied, cutting him off. She spelled her name as he wrote it on the white scroll, then signed it.</p><p>"By the order of the Arena Master, you Katara, are now a free citizen of the Fire Nation, and are afforded with all the luxuriates that come with the title, outside of travel." Katara nodded and accepted her clothing from the guard and the scroll from the Arena Master.</p><p>The procession turned and left her alone in the Arena as quickly as possible. She wanted to smile and examine the proof of her freedom that she held in her hands, but the cost of her win weighed on her. She spun, suddenly feeling the anger in the stands and realizing how alone she stood in the center of the Arena. The waterbender jogged to the entrance that the two princes had exited through and walked into a shouting match.</p><p>"-a disgrace!" Ozai shouted. Lu Ten hovered anxiously at the outskirts of their verbal spar. He looked to be caught in a decision of whether to get someone to intervene or to stall them himself. He looked up when he saw Katara enter, so did Ozai and Zuko.</p><p>"He should have let her finish you off instead of calling the match," Ozai roared, pointing towards Katara. "Then <em>maybe</em> your defeat would have been palatable."</p><p>"Uncle Ozai!" Lu Ten's voice rose in shocked horror. Even Katara did not know how to take his statement. Had she misjudged how a loss would affect Zuko's life? Zuko seethed, but only bit his lip and took the insult. He clenched his fists, curls of smoke rose from them. Before anyone could say anything more, Ursa and Iroh appeared in a swirl of robes and sleeves. Katara noticed the princess was nowhere to be seen and made a move to back out of the door. </p><p>"That's enough Ozai," Iroh commanded. "Your son-"</p><p>"He is <em>not</em> my son!"</p><p>"Ozai!" Ursa gasped, her glaze falling to Zuko. Even the boy let his scornful mask slip to reveal a look of shock. <em>Did his father just disown him?</em> <em>Truly</em>? <em>Just like that?</em> The thought was unimaginable to Katara. She paused, still planted in the doorway.</p><p>"No son of mine will bring such disgrace to this family." He moved forward and grabbed his son by the collar. Zuko flinched and ground his teeth as the smell of burnt clothing filled the tight room. "You will pay for the true extent of what you've done. Everything I've been working for-"</p><p>"Stop it, Ozai," Ursa ordered, moving to pull her husband from her eldest. The second prince dropped Zuko and turned on his heel, shoving Ursa aside. Katara gave the women credit for her bravery. Just the idea of standing against Ozai made her want to run in the other direction.</p><p>"Your punishment for ruining my chances will be severe," Ozai promised before leaving the room. There was silence. Outside, the sound of the crowd buzzing to leave the Arena grew. The noise penetrated their quiet. Ursa put a hand on Zuko's shoulder and tried not to look hurt when he brushed it off. He walked past everyone without a word.</p><p>Katara did not stay to see his family's reactions. Iroh saw her flee back into the Arena before he followed after his nephew with Lu Ten and Ursa.</p><p>For the first time in her life, Katara did not know what to do next. She was free, but that alone had been her goal. Now that she achieved it, she had no direction. Zuko was not a direction. He might have been the guiding light, but where did that leave her when she was free from the darkness? Her feet took her to the only place she knew to go.</p><p>Walking through the door, it felt like she had never left, but she knew better.</p><p>"Katara!" Shiyu called once he spotted her. She smiled at him in response, but it was short lived. Looking around the room, she spotted Shiyu's apprentice washing medical instruments and bowls from the day's events. The medic noticed her silence and guessed at the cause.</p><p>"I saw the match." Shiyu was not a man of physical affection, but he put a hand on Katara's shoulder and squeezed gently. Her fears slipped out.</p><p>"I shouldn't have won. I've ruined anything that-"</p><p>Shiyu stopped her. "From the moment the two of you stepped into the arena as opponents, something like this was bound to happen. It could have been anything. It just so happened the cards fell in your favor."</p><p>"But-"</p><p>"Would you trade your freedom for his honor?" Shiyu asked. Katara gripped the scroll that decreed she was a citizen tighter.</p><p>"I don't feel very free."</p><p>Shiyu sighed and walked over to finish folding the unused pile of bandages that had fallen over during the day. Her statement hung in the air, filling the silence. She stood awkwardly, watching the work the two of them did to finish cleaning after their busy day.</p><p>"Where do I go now, Shiyu?" Katara finally asked. "Where did the others go?"</p><p>"I'm not sure. It's very rare for someone to win their freedom in the Arena. Everyone knows that. The ones that do win usually aren't heard from again."</p><p>"I heard that some try to escape the city and go back to their nations," Karo offered.</p><p>"But I can't leave the capital," Katara countered. It was a stupid rule, but she had not planned on breaking any laws on her first day being free. Then again, no one else had defeated a prince.</p><p>Thoughts swirled around her mind like the snow flurries she had created this afternoon. She was worried for Zuko. <em>Why did he want to be my last opponent?</em> There must have been other ways to get her to win besides him challenging her. Even under the mask of the Blue Spirit, he would have had to lose. He would have been unmasked. She didn't understand.</p><p>Katara knew how good the Blue Spirit was, how much the crowd loved him. He would be throwing away both his and Lu Ten's alter ego just to get her free. In the end, it turned out he lost much more. It made Katara question how much the prince had been willing to sacrifice for her in the first place, and if he regretted his decision now. The pit in her stomach was unbearable as she wondered. Why did he do it?</p><p>"Katara, come sit down." Shiyu guided her to the cushions around the table behind her. Katara obeyed and sat, remembering how she had drank tea here growing up. After she was settled, the girl looked up at Shiyu and gave him a sad look without meaning too.</p><p>"I don't know what to do Shiyu." She folded her hands in her lap and twisted her fingers. The grey tunic, worn and ripped, gave the illusion she had faded to almost that of a ghost. Shiyu shook his head and looked around the room. His apprentice had left the room, gone off to relax after the tiresome day mending the injured.</p><p>"You can stay here Katara," Shiyu offered. He lowered his voice, glancing to the back room where Katara had stayed. "Karo's not experienced enough to take over, but I'm ready to retire. You can take my place here. For as long as you need to decide what's next." The shock took a second to sink in; she jerked her head up and looked to Shiyu.</p><p>"But," she tried to say.</p><p>"Karo's a good man, but he doesn't have your drive to learn and to heal," Shiyu admitted. "I'm sure eventually he'll be a good medic, but it will take a while. I'm not getting any younger." The girl was silent. She would have jumped at the chance to live here and help out almost a year ago, now she found herself hesitating. It was difficult, more then she had expected, and Shiyu saw her concentration.</p><p>"You don't have to decide now Katara. Stay here a few days, get back on your feet. You can tell me when you're ready. Until then, make yourself at home." Katara nodded, though she smiled now. Through the dark clouds that hovered over her, a ray of sunlight finally came through. It was not what she expected in the least, but it was still a wonderful option. If only she wanted it as much as before.</p><p>"Thank you." The medic smiled back before heading up the stairs to his room. Katara sat in silence before she moved to make herself some tea and grab an apple.</p><p>At last, she opened the scroll to examine what was inside. It was a short decree, but the thing that held her attention most was the smaller, almost card-like triple thick paper that fell onto the table. She held it up and saw this was what the Arena Master had signed with her name on it. It reminded her of Shiyu's passport, which she had seen once on his desk on her way to the balcony. She would need a place to put it to keep it safe, along with the scroll it came in and her message from Zuko.</p><p>Katara paused. She wondered what his father would do to him. Prince Ozai was a man to be feared, she knew that, but the worry that Zuko had shown was something to take note of.</p><p>She hugged her knees to her chest; she had not expected things to go back to the way they were between them completely, but she had wished... <em>for what exactly?</em> Did she think the prince would sweep her off her feet and take her back to the palace where they would spend the rest of their lives together, only she would be a free woman and not his servant? The thought was childish and even she knew it. He'd get married eventually and then what would she be? Maybe she just wanted to be able to see him, but to still have her own life. Or...</p><p>Katara realized that she had never thought this far ahead. Her only thoughts had been of getting out of the Arena. She assumed that Zuko would come back for her once she was free and take charge, but all bets were off the table now.</p><p>The waterbender took a steadying breath and stood. Suddenly curious if Shiyu had kept her old clothing, she made her way towards the room where she had lived. She remembered to knock at the last second.</p><p>"Sorry to interrupt," she stated, pushing the door open. The young man looked up from a book. Katara recognized it as one of the medical journals from the shelves. "Did you happen to find any clothing that was in here when you moved in?"</p><p>"Shiyu packed it up in that box on the top shelf," Karo explained, turning to face her. "He seemed pretty flustered about it all. I just assumed he had a daughter at first. I didn't bother asking about it. Here, I can reach it for you." Karo stood and grabbed the box from the shelf without needing the stool that Katara had grabbed.</p><p>"Thanks," she said once the box was safely in her hands. It was small and light, though it should not surprise her, since she had had hardly any clothing to begin with. There were probably only six or seven outfits in total that she recalled having here, not including her special Agni Kai robes and the nightgown she had worn on her trip to the palace.</p><p>She vanished back into the main room then caught an unpleasant whiff of herself against the sterile medical environment. She darted into the bathroom. The thought of a real bath was too tempting to pass up.</p><p>...</p><p>By the time the sun had long since set and she was ready for bed, Katara had all but settled back into the home she had practically grown up in. Sure, she no longer had a bed, but a nest of blankets and pillows that Shiyu provided was just as comfy.</p><p>As she tried to sleep, one thought filled her mind. The mask. She sat up. The candle on the table was still burning, filling the room with sparse dancing light. No one else seemed to be up, and by all accounts, neither should she. Katara left her bed, dressed in one of her old sets of clothing that was just slightly too large for her now, and headed out into the Arena. She was done wandering outside in her nightclothes.</p><p>Overhead, the cloudless sky allowed the moon to fill the space with pale light. She was barefoot, her old palace shoes had been torn to shreds throughout her fighting career, so the sand quickly dirtied her freshly washed toes. Even with only moonlight, it didn't take long for her to find what she came searching for.</p><p>The mask had fallen face down, so no one noticed it laying forgotten in the heat of the moment. The guards would not walk the field until the next morning before they let out the prisoners for practice, thus no one had picked it up. Shaking fingers plucked the blue demon mask from the ground and turned it over. She touched the cool porcelain surface she knew so well. It was burned into her mind from childhood. The Blue Spirit had been her savior. Now, the man behind the mask would never return to the Arena. Never return to her.</p><p>Footsteps broke her concentration. She looked up, her heart fluttering at the sight. She had been wrong.</p><p>Katara had no idea what to say. Her heart leapt at the thought that he had come to tell her everything she had feared was just that: fears. The blue spirit mask glinted in her hands, bringing her back to reality. Katara took a fortifying breath.</p><p>"I'm sorry about what happened today." She bowed her head and watched the sand curl under the bare toes as she scrunched them. Boots appeared at the edge of her vision, hands touched the mask she held. She looked up, blue eyes meeting gold.</p><p>"You did what you had to."</p><p>"But," Katara tried to say. "Your father-"</p><p>"It doesn't matter," Zuko lied. Katara wondered if he was trying to make himself believe the words as he said them. "Everyone knows I'm not his favorite child, what's one more screw-up going to change?"</p><p>"He seemed furious, Zuko. I just-" He moved closer, his hands sliding across the mask to cover hers. He leaned in.</p><p>The prince whispered in her ear. "I didn't sneak out of the palace and away from my guards to talk about my father, Katara."</p><p>"Sneak out?"</p><p>Zuko didn't answer her inquiry with words. Instead, he moved in and kissed her. Katara felt his hands fall to her hips, pulling her closer. The warm feeling of joy filled her slowly. Wriggling her arms free from where they had been caught in-between their bodies, she threw them around Zuko's neck, the mask still clutched in her left hand. Above, the moon kept guard over their secret meeting.</p><p>As pleasant as it was being reunited on peaceful, non-combative terms, Katara could not help feeling something was off. Zuko's focus was not where she expected it. He lingered on each touch, each taste. She anticipated a man dying of thirst who had found water, not one who never expected to get another drink. She pulled away, almost giving in when his expression gave away his sadness.</p><p>"Zuko, what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?" The prince looked away, turning so she only saw the scarred side of his face. He didn't answer immediately, but Katara could wait. They tested each other's patience until Zuko gathered the courage to speak.</p><p>"I'm headed out on the first ship tomorrow," he finally said. Only after she heard the words did he turn to gauge her expression. She only blinked in confusion.</p><p>"What? Why!?"</p><p>Zuko sighed and pulled out of Katara's embrace. She felt small standing alone in the dark arena.</p><p>"My Father's sending me off to find the Avatar," Zuko explained. "He said it's the only way to regain the honor I lost when you beat me in our match."</p><p>Katara shook her head. "That doesn't make any sense. Its not possible to find him. The Avatar is gone. The cycle was broken when the Air Nomads were- No, I'll ask for a rematch, you and me. You can win and everyone will be happy."</p><p>"Katara, no," Zuko stated. "It's not that easy. And besides, you deserve to be free. And a rematch might make the Arena Master take back your citizenship. I hadn't planned to be your tenth match, and when I was, I was worried my father would put the pieces together and accuse me of losing to you on purpose to win your freedom anyway. Lucky, he was too busy being furious to even think I'd thrown the match. The moment the mask came off, I thought he'd stop everything and accuse me of trying to get you free. But he didn't, and I'm not sure why."</p><p>Katara was silent on the matter. While she did not think the Arena Master could take away her freedom now, she definitely was not going to risk it. Though the last statement weighed heavily on her. Prince Ozai knew what the relationship between his son and her had been on the outside. Katara was sure the princess had further elaborated once she was taken away; those two had a sickeningly identical mindset which was conducive to sharing a siblings' secrets. It would have made sense for Ozai to see through the plot; the fact that he did not call the bluff was another thing entirely. It made her wonder if he thought she would actually kill his son to win her freedom. Katara shuddered.</p><p>"It's already been decided, " Zuko continued. "This is the punishment he'd decided on and I'm going to meet it. I'll find the Avatar and be back before you know it." Zuko looked so determined that Katara wanted to believe every word he said. But she knew the stories.</p><p>The last Avatar had not been seen in over 100 years. No one could live that long, and no word of a new Avatar being born had surfaced. Her mother used to tell her stories about the feats of old Avatars before the newest one, an airbender, had all but vanished. It sounded like a fool's errand, this journey to find him when he was practically a myth. Ozai wanted his son out of the Fire Nation. </p><p>Katara closed the gap Zuko had created and took his hands. They were warm, even without the warmth of the sun.</p><p>"I'll be here when you return. Shiyu said he'd leave me the office if I wanted. I would take his place as the arena medic. I haven't accepted yet, since I wasn't sure-" She caught herself rambling and stopped before she said too much.</p><p>Zuko seemed to understand her hesitation.</p><p>"When I get back-" he paused. Instead of saying anything, he kissed her again. Katara did not expect him to reveal his feelings; she had not said what <em>she</em> wanted to say out loud, so why should he? But the kiss spoke volumes, even if it was just for tonight, she knew he cared for her. They savored the moment, fire and water, in the most passionate of nighttime dances. For neither was sure when they would have another chance.</p><p>...</p><p>The next morning, Katara was up before the sun. There was no way she was going to miss being at the dock in time. Zuko told her that his departure was not public knowledge, but he also warned her that there would still be a crowd gathered as the gossip leaked by the guards with loose lips seeped into the city. She grabbed her small signed certificate and slipped it under her belt, just in case she needed it, and left Shiyu's home without waking anyone.</p><p>Morning light was slow to seep through the streets, but by the time she found her way to the docks, the sky was bright. She spotted a crowd of soldiers preparing a small vessel, a crew ready to depart. The only thing missing was the prince.</p><p>The procession was quiet, but Katara still heard them before she saw anything. It was easy enough to spot Zuko. The young prince wore armor which gleamed like it had never seen a day of fighting in its life. She knew the opposite held true for the man protected by it; he bore the scars from a lifetime of battle.</p><p>From her spot on the edge of the dock, she dared not get too close to the solders or the boat, she spotted Lu Ten and Zuko's mother. The other members of the family were not present, though the only one whose absence confused her was Iroh. She was sure there was a pressing reason why the elder prince was not here to see his nephew off.</p><p>Soon, common citizens joined her where she stood. The guards watched them to make sure they did not get too close. They gossiped amongst themselves about the prince's departure. Katara heard without listening as she watched Ursa gave her son a long hug at the edge of the gangplank.</p><p>"They say the Fire Lord is sending him on a journey," one man whispered.</p><p>"<em>I</em> heard he was banished," another countered.</p><p>"After his disgrace in the Arena, it's amazing he's still alive," an older woman mentioned to her friend.</p><p>"And to lose to a waterbender,"</p><p>"A young girl at that-"</p><p>"- a disgrace!" Katara wished she could cover her ears and un-hear all the things these people- his people- said about him.</p><p>"She's free now you know," a young man mentioned. "A killer roaming our streets." Katara focused on watching Lu Ten hug his cousin and say something she had no chance of overhearing, but it was hard when the people around her were talking about her without knowing she stood amongst them. Her heart beat faster as she tugged on her long sleeves. Her hairstyle and clothing screamed Fire Nation, but once she turned around, the difference between herself and the others would be obvious. The fire Zuko said he saw in her blue eyes would do little to help her blend in. And then someone came to her defense.</p><p>"I've never seen her kill anyone in the Arena," a woman stated. "I saw all her matches. The child is good, but she never killed."</p><p>"You can't trust water or earthbenders. That was all for show," a man standing beside her explained. The woman harrumphed and Katara's blood ran cold at the other men's laughter following his next statement. "Besides, she'll probably end up like all the others and be back where she belongs in no time." She still, but the conversation shifted just as fast as the wind.</p><p>"Look, they're shoving off!" The ship puffed a few clouds of steam into the air before making a slow departure out towards the open ocean.</p><p>Katara looked longingly at the bay, the sparkling water calling her name. It would be so easy to chill the water under her feet and race across the surface to the boat. But she had promised Zuko she would be here to welcome him home when he returned, and he <em>would</em> return.</p><p>This was his country; she saw it in his eyes last night, how deep this temporary exile hit him. If she left now, there would be no coming back. Not for her.</p><p>She waved, though she knew the prince could not see the gesture from the boat. It made her feel less lonely when she turned and pushed through the crowd to imagine he had. She kept her eyes to the ground, escaping the pack of gossiping onlookers without being openly recognized.</p><p>Katara headed home to accept Shiyu's offer without any regrets. She would survive this, just as she'd always done.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter Title (and story title) is from the song 'Breath' by Breaking Benjamin</p><p>Full Author's Note:<br/>And there you have it. I hope everyone enjoyed the story! I know its rather dark for an ATLA fanfiction, but I wanted to explore certain theming that the show just couldn't given its intended audience. This AU world was something I batted around for a few years before finally putting it into words, so even with the plot holes and loose threads that I know are here, i'm glad everyone took the time to read through it. Even if it wasn't a 'happy' ending per say. Trust me when I say it could have ended SO MUCH worse. (I debated it). I really love the Zutara pairing, but I just couldn't bring myself to destroy the realistic direction of the plot with a perfect happy ending for them.</p><p>As much as I intended the story to end here, given it was always really Katara's story of freedom and growing up *with a bit of Zuko of course!*, I'm currently debating a shorter follow-up story of sorts. I have a rough direction and title, but I'm not sold that it NEEDS to be written. And just adding it to the end of this story would ruin the flow. If there was anything my wonderful readers wanted to see explored further: be it locations, themes, events (canon or not), characters, ect I'd be interested to know. It might persuade me to give it more thought.</p><p>Your reviews and kudos were wonderful each week! I read them all and love seeing each one :) Thank you again!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>